COVER H'UP

A Harbour Mille woman who was initially told by the R.C.M.P that the U.F.O. she and another resident spotted near that community Monday evening was a test missile fired from the French island of St- Pierre and Miquelon is now left wondering which is the biggest mystery; the U.F.O or the explanation from authorities that have followed the sighting.
At around five p.m. on January 25th, Emmy Pardy and Darlene Stewart both saw what appeared to be three missiles flying across the sky; at about five minute intervals, one after the other. Stewart, used to taking sunset shots at that time of day, grabbed her camera and took three photographs of the mysterious object. Pardy opted for a pair of binoculars and moved outside to her patio for a better view.
D.F.O officials and the R.C.M.P. were notified and supplied with a copy of Stewart’s pictures. An investigation was launched. Pardy says that late on Tuesday evening R.C.M.P Cst. Mortimer reached her by phone and informed her that the objects were indeed missiles and that they had been test fired by the army stationed at the French Island of St-Pierre. Follow up calls made by The Telegram to the R.C.M.P detachment in Marystown to confirm that information were met with denials and claims that there were no missiles fired from St-Pierre. Sgt. Edgecombe, also with the Marystown detachment, stated that the R.C.M.P had no official confirmation on what the objects were and that the Department of National Defense should be contacted for more information. When informed that D.N.D officials were referring inquiries back to them, Sgt. Edgecombe wasn’t impressed. ”If missiles were being fired on Canada then that has nothing to do with the R.C.M.P. detachment in Marystown or anywhere,” an obviously frustrated Edgecombe said when asked for further comment.
According to Edgecombe, the R.C.M.P did their due diligence by traveling to the community and interviewing witnesses. Their involvement should end there, he says. “Yes, from the pictures it does look like missiles but there is a danger in sending out that information. No one told anyone officially that this was a case of missiles being fired from St-Pierre or anywhere because we just don‘t know officially what this was,” he says.
Stewart says she doesn’t care what anyone says, she knows what she saw; and the objects looked like missiles to her.
“It was the most spectacular, yet the most terrifying thing I have ever seen. The objects looked like they may have initially come from the ocean, like perhaps from a submarine, but I couldn‘t really say,” says Stewart, adding that she hasn’t had a restful nights sleep since the sighting. “I’m terrified and still shaking just talking about this again.”
Pardy, who has spent her entire life in the seaside community of Hr. Mille, says has been left “stunned,” by the experience. Says Pardy; “I’ve never seen anything like it before. To me, yes, it did seem like it was coming from the ocean, traveling out over the bay like it was shot from somewhere either in the ocean or on it.”
When informed of the latest R.C.M.P stance Pardy was not impressed.
“This is insane. First I saw this U.F.O in the sky and didn’t know but it was E.T. come home and then I was told that it was a test missile fired by the army in St-Pierre and then I find out that now that their saying that’s not what it was at all, well, if that wasn‘t what it was then someone needs to tell me what it was for real this time,” she says.
Pardy placed another call to Cst. Mortimer who she says again confirmed for her that the object was a missile. “He told me, yes, it was a missile and that the military was made aware of this, but I don’t know and he wouldn’t say if they were made aware of the situation before the missiles were shot off or after.” Pardy claims she was also told that no other information would be released at this time and that the information she was told has not been officially released.
Stewart, when informed of the latest developments, began to shake with frustration, anger, and fear. She says that if she didn’t have the proof, even she would begin questioning what she saw. “Honestly, it’s like we’re made out to be crazy. I saw what I saw. I have the proof. Emmy saw it too. What else do they want?” she asks.
MP Gerry Byrne says he has seen the pictures and says this seems to be a very credible report to Canadian government officials from two of its residents that a significant event did occur. While he would like to help unravel the mystery, he says he feels as if his hands are tied. “The proper place to bring this up is in Question Period, but the House is closed and that isn’t possible,” he said from Ottawa. The citizen’s of this province have a right to know what happened, he says, though he readily admits there is a possibility that a straightforward answer may not be imminent. “I’d like to have the opportunity to ask the tough questions of our government. What do you know, when did you know it, and what can you tell us. Instead, we have had the communication door closed on us,” he says.
　
Pardy says she doesn’t care who ultimately answers the question of what was in the sky that night as long as it is finally answered. In the meantime she is left wondering what the big secret is.
“Just tell us what it was. Someone knows, or they should know, and that someone who knows should tell the public. What goes up eventually comes down somewhere, so this can’t be any great secret. Try jigging a fish out in the harbour. The Fisheries would be right there, right? So surely they know where three missiles spotted off back cove in Harbour Mille were fired from.”

(pictured are Darlene and her partner Hubert, two eye witnesses)