Meteor sighted in the Mediterranean

Summary

On March 16, 1961, an officer observed a bright object in the Mediterranean sky. The object left a smoke trail visible for about five minutes. The upper part of the trail was dark and moved quickly, while the lower part was light grey and drifted slowly. The observer, aboard a C-47 aircraft, noted that the object burned brightly as it entered the atmosphere. Initially considered possibly a balloon, aircraft, or astronomical event, the data suggest it was a meteor. The sighting occurred near coordinates 4127N 0522W, and the report was shared with various military units for evaluation.