Here is my best try, to make a good translation from spanish of a newly appeared article in a digital newspaper in my country about the crashing of an UFO in 1998 in the area of Paihuano.
As a new member I can not post links, but if any of you would like to have the web address of the article can ask me for the link by Personal Message.
The UFO that crashed in Chile: The incredible case of Paihuano
A cylindrical shaped gray colored flying object crashed against a hill in 1998, seen by a number of witnesses.
Several hours later, the area was under military control.
On wednesday the 7th October 1998, around 4pm, a pretty unusual event took place in the calm location of Paihuano that broke its peacefulness. Several residents -among them were countrymen, teachers, housekeepers and township workers - witnessed the crashing of an unknown flying object, silver colored, with a side of the hill Las Mollacas.
According to these person's account, the object broke in two parts, one stayed on top and the other fell down some meters below. Raul flores, a neighbour whose house was at the feet of the hill Las Mollacas stated: "The object was something very similar to a metalic disc, that because of the sun irradiated a very intense shine. Never in my life had I experienced such a strange situation. Of course, I was not the only one who saw it. Many people also witnessed the same."
To finish off the mysterious of this issue, a number of power failures on radio and TV broadcastings took place, matching up the moment of the collision, the repeat antennas of Paihuano and Pisco Elqui had transmission problems, due to electromagnetic phenomena.
Rescue Operation
Half an hour after the crashing, a second event broke the peace of the residents. All the area remained under military control. The person in charge of public relations at Paihuano Township announced that a press conference was set to comment the event, also received a phone call from an allegedly employee of the NASA, who in a very poor spanish begged to cancel the conference press and to not release any kind of information. The town mayor agreed to the request waiting for more information to be received. As it could be expected the information never arrived.
The same day early in the morning, the sleep of most of Paihuano inhabitants, already disturbed by the recent events, was interrupted by the unmistakable noise of military helicopters - one of them black, much like the american blackhawks - that flew over the area until the dawn.
The next day, a taxi driver who was looking for passengers assured that he saw three green trucks, driving on an alternative road pulling a big ramp. In the same ramp there was a big metallic object, with a gray color and of a curve structure, with fluorescent tones, partially coverde by a canvas.
After that report, nothing else was known about the allegedly crashed UFO in Paihuano. Two days after the collision, a group of neighbours along with a group of policemen (carabineros), climbed up the hill Las Mollacas. After six hours they made their way to the impact site to see with their own eyes the remains of the mysterious object, but didn't find a single piece. Only dust and many stones.
After the incident, the theories to explain the origin of the object were numerous. First it was announced that it was a meteorological ballon, second that it was a missing probe, later on that it was a flying remote-controlled vehicle. Afterwards the possibility that it would have been a meteor coming from outer space was considered, and finally the rumour that it was a secret airship of the americans in the middle of the operation UNITAS was spread. Operation UNITAS took place offshore Coquimbo the same year but it ended on september 26, eleven days before the Paihuano incident.
Today, 14 years later, neighbours of Paihuano assure to anyone willing to listen to them that something very strange fell down from the sky that evening from october 1998. And that a big covering up operation was carried out. Because of that many people call this incident "The Chilean Roswell", in reference to the supposed famous falling of a crewed spaceship in the town of Roswell, New Mexico in 1947.
Undoubtedly a flying object that could not be identified crashed against the hill Las Mollacas in 1998, and that some hours later, a huge uncommon and secret operation to rescue the remains of it was mounted (the air controller of La Serena airport confirmed later the arrival by plane of specialized equipment to carry out "a rescue operation of a fallen object" in the area of Paihuano).
There is still to elucidate what thing was the object. A meteor? A secret american airship? Or a spaceship from another planet? The riddle still remains.