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In order to properly answer these riddles, we collected valuable eyewitness reports and background information that enabled us to make an accurate reconstruction of what happened that morning and put forth a few thoughts.
The aerial phenomenon: The UFO apparently presents three discernible phases that correspond to various situations of the journey. It begins as a dot of increasing luminous magnitude, followed by an aeroform with an arc of circumference, and ends as a small oval cloud that gives the impression of following the experiencers. It has not been formally established whether it was the same phenomenon, with the identification of the final phase as an “unusual phenomenon” being highly questionable due to its resemblance with a cloudy formation of natural origin and by the emotional circumstances under which said aerial element was observed. On the other hand, the second image of the object, being closer and better defined, suggests another effort at an explanation. In this regard, the Moon was in its 11th waxing phase, with 89.32% of its face illuminated at 3 in the morning toward the south (where the alleged UFO was seen, as we assume), azimuth 190 86’, declination of -5 1 min 4 sec., that is to say, barely rising over the horizon (source: C. Demaría), which would coincide with the location of the “intensely white luminous object” (it should also be noted that the Moon, close to the horizon, appears large due to the fact that the atmosphere acts as a giant lens).
We cannot provide, at the moment an adequate interpretation for the distant initial light source. All told, this is the phase that causes true motivation among the witnesses, arising as the doubt as to what they were seeing (“Giannoni, what do you see up there? “It’s a flying saucer, he told me” – J. Castillo). The second and eloquent phase causes them profound shock, which manifests as a feeling of terror, causing inhibition is the one, and a flight response in the other (“I asked Giannoni, what we should do? Without saying a word, he took off first at high speed.” – J. Castillo). The third image seen, only by Castillo, is very ambiguous (“Looking off to the side, I was always escorted by a little oval shape, a cloud…” – J. Castillo). It is essential to add that this phase of the sighting – and others mentioned later on – take place after a truly traumatic situation and as the byproduct of seeing a phenomenon that they found disturbing.
Beings in the dark: It is possible to agree that the above induced phantasmagoria, that is to say, the representation of figures through an optical illusion or the deformation of reality, believing that he could see – in the darkness, and always through the rear-view mirror – four humanoid entities on his pickup truck’s payload, where there are precisely four drums of ink, denoting a similar ambiguity.
When the 31-year-old witness turned on the light “to see if those things were there, and could see nothing,” it is unquestionable that the fear of the dark also played an overwhelming road, erupting into his unconscious fantasies. It isn’t sheer chance that despite the lack of ambient light, the sense of being chased or spied upon is what he noticed in the alleged entities’ eyes, “as though they were looking at me.” Castillo appears sincere in his statements, but is prone to contradictions when he recalls the location of his companion, who never gets to see the alleged humanoids, not even when they were allegedly still on the payload, and Giannoni stopped beside the vehicle driven by Castillo. Further reinforcing our thesis, it should be noted that he did not witness any of the extraordinary phenomena Castillo claims occurred after the abrupt and shocking approach of the UFO. This, then, is significant. Equally suspicious is the sighting of the figures “walking along the road”, taking what has been stated into consideration and its brief duration, barely a second.
The major obstacles: Another event that can cause astonishment takes place after Castillo drove through the hazardous part of the road (straight road, zig-zag and steep slope). He notices with terror that “both parts of the mountain join together as though made of rubber…they join and block the way ahead…” The sensation of being pinned by the mountains reminds of the fear of major obstacles that keep him from moving forward and cause him to join up with his companion once more. This visionary experience is interesting, and it seems obvious to add that the mountains did not move from their places. However, one can be lead to think, with a certain flight of the imagination that this visual illusion could have been brought upon Castillo by the UFO occupants. In such a case, one would have to suppose that the four figures were also illusions caused by…four drums of ink.
The overturned vehicle: We received ample cooperation from Salim Bestene, manager of the Ford dealership in Esquel, who advised us that both pickup trucks were being brought to his dealership from Buenos Aires, with Giannoni and Castillo being responsible for driving them from Trelew to their destination. This information, arising from questioning, are uniquely important, since some strange aspects of the case were still pending explanation, such as the unusual overturning described by Castillo and the alleged invulnerability of the pickup truck after the accident. Dispelling any doubts in this regard, he contradicts all of Castillo’s statements, indicating that the vehicle had significant damage: the cab roof, the entire left side and the front wheels. Since the pickup was swiftly repaired, he provided us with the only photographs resulting from the accident, in which the vehicle shows significant dents on the indicated places. We must note that the investigation performed by the insurance company points out that it was a “common overturn”. While Bestene believes in the existence of UFOs and the likelihood that Giannoni and Castillo truly witnessed one such phenomenon, he believes this to have been “an ordinary accident caused by a sideways movement of the pickup truck on the shoulder when its driver fell asleep at the wheel.” This unequivocal explanation reminds us of the driver’s constant fatigue and sleepiness throughout the long journey.
Bestene also confirms the rumors that Giannoni had not driven for a long time, and how this could have been a factor in causing the accident. However, in one of the interviews we held with Giannoni, he states – to the contrary – that he was driving during the three years he remained in Esquel, having moved shortly after to Buenos Aires to work as a provisioning manager for an airline company. Alfredo Giannoni tried to postpone the interview on several occasions, being somewhat reticent about discussing the matter in depth. He acknowledged that the pickup truck was seriously damaged, remarking on the vivid impression caused by the tumble and referring constantly to Castillo’s description in explaining the characteristics of the overturn (“According to Castillo, my vehicle literally flew through the air at 2 meters over the pavement.”) However, what he found most inexplicable about the event is how he emerged uninjured from the accident, which occurred suddenly and without realizing what had taken place.
Finally, regarding the story that the ink conveyed in twenty-liter tanks was found to be more liquid than usual in subsequent days – which would add a new strangeness factor to the episode – we consulted Oreste Massacese, secretary of the Esquel newspaper’s newsroom, and several operators, who stated that “no change was noted” in the ink with regard to other batches received.
Final Considerations
Ultimately, the fatigue caused by the trip, the pronounced sleepiness and headache, the strong and constant nervous tension to which the men were subjected – Castillo in particular – and the perception of a variety of external stimuli, caused a set of extraordinary visions in a personality seemingly vulnerable to events of this sort, which on this occasion have not been the direct manifestation of an anomalous phenomenon, and perhaps more aptly what someone called “the great fear of the unknown.” Jorge Castillo knows this. At least the peaceful transit of time has allowed him to question the events and reflect: “Perhaps my eyes were playing tricks on me…”
Sources:
Zerpa Fabio, Los hombres de negro y los ovnis, Plaza & Janes, E. de Llobregat, Barcelona, España, 1979, pages 113/123.
[1] This article originally appeared in Los Identificados. Casuística ovni con ocupantes en Argentina, N° III, Buenos Aires, July 1993, pages 17-22.
[2] Cuarta Dimensión, Buenos Aires, No. 66 (August 1979), Pgs. 36/42.
[Translation © 2013, Scott Corrales, IHU with thanks to Guillermo D. Giménez, Planeta UFO; The NetCentinell and VISIÓN OVNI http://www.visionovni.com.ar/modules/news/article.php?storyid=883]
Source: Planeta UFO
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