Bright point splitting into three over the Ionian Sea

Summary

On 21 June 1979, several French sailors in the Ionian Sea at 38.02°N, 17.41°E watched a bright point split into three parts, shifting between white and orange as it moved rapidly southeast. The phenomenon was visible for roughly one minute. Available data suggest a possible atmospheric re-entry of a satellite or space debris, though no official confirmation was obtained. GEIPAN classified the case as B, noting a degree of coherence in the observation without reaching a definitive explanation.