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UFO claim over wind farm damage | UFO claim over wind farm damage |
(about 2 hours later) | |
UFO researchers are claiming damage to a Lincolnshire wind farm turbine was caused by a mystery aircraft. | UFO researchers are claiming damage to a Lincolnshire wind farm turbine was caused by a mystery aircraft. |
The turbine at Conisholme lost one 66ft (20m) blade and had another badly damaged in the early hours of Sunday. | The turbine at Conisholme lost one 66ft (20m) blade and had another badly damaged in the early hours of Sunday. |
Local ufologists said they had received many reports of activity in the area and had teams searching for clues. | |
Ecotricity, which owns the site, said while investigations continued they were not ruling anything out - but the extent of damage was "unique". | Ecotricity, which owns the site, said while investigations continued they were not ruling anything out - but the extent of damage was "unique". |
The turbine is one of 20 at the Conisholme site, which has been running for three years. The broken blade has been recovered and is being examined. | The turbine is one of 20 at the Conisholme site, which has been running for three years. The broken blade has been recovered and is being examined. |
Dale Vince, founder of Ecotricity, said the company was keeping an open mind about the incident. | |
To make one of these blades fall off, or to bend it, takes a lot Dale Vince, Ecotricity | |
"We don't have an explanation at the moment as to what the cause was," he said. | "We don't have an explanation at the moment as to what the cause was," he said. |
"We have been crawling all over it and have sent bits off for analysis to see if we can work out what caused it. | |
"Until we have some idea, some plausible explanation that it was not a UFO, I don't think we should rule it out". | "Until we have some idea, some plausible explanation that it was not a UFO, I don't think we should rule it out". |
He added: "To make one of these blades fall off, or to bend it, takes a lot." | He added: "To make one of these blades fall off, or to bend it, takes a lot." |
FROM THE TODAY PROGRAMME class="" href="http://news.bbc.co.uk/today/hi/default.stm">More from Today programme | |
Russ Kellett, from the Flying Saucer Bureau, said witnesses had told him of activity in the area. | Russ Kellett, from the Flying Saucer Bureau, said witnesses had told him of activity in the area. |
"One saw what they at first thought was a low-flying aircraft on the Saturday evening and another heard a loud banging in the early hours of Sunday," he said. | |
"This is the second most reports of activity we have ever had - I have had over 30 phone calls and emails. | "This is the second most reports of activity we have ever had - I have had over 30 phone calls and emails. |
"To hit two of the blades, any object must have been about 170ft long." | "To hit two of the blades, any object must have been about 170ft long." |
The Ministry of Defence said it was not looking into the incident. | The Ministry of Defence said it was not looking into the incident. |
A spokesman said: "The MoD examines reports solely to establish whether UK airspace may have been compromised by hostile or unauthorised military activity. | A spokesman said: "The MoD examines reports solely to establish whether UK airspace may have been compromised by hostile or unauthorised military activity. |
"Unless there's evidence of a potential threat, there's no attempt to identify the nature of each sighting reported." | "Unless there's evidence of a potential threat, there's no attempt to identify the nature of each sighting reported." |