St Francis area residents in the Eastern Cape were startled by the sound a of a massive bang, like an explosion of sorts, just before 9 am, that was heard as far as Plett and Knysna this morning.
Several eye witnesses in the vicinity of Oyster Bay reported on social media having seen a flash of blue light like a falling star across the sky, and then most of the St Francis Bay and Cape St Francis residents were abuzz with questions when they heard an explosion and big bang sound. And academic local experts called it a “meteorite” or “asteroid”.
A St Francis Safaris whale-watching boat captain on board, offshore of Shark Point, reported online and to St Francis Chronicle that the ‘meteorite’ crashed into the sea about 200m from the boat. He reported that the meteorite hit the ocean and let off a blue light and then there were six explosions and flashes of light before it sank.
No tremors from the crash were felt and the crew and those residents on shore are relieved the meteorite it did not crash on the boat or or on land.
More info is awaited from the world space authorities and experts to determine whether it is a ‘meterorite’ as is widely believed locally.
‘A whale boat crew’? I though whale hunting was illegal off South African shores?
Was likely a whale sight-seeing boat.
”St Francis safaris” is whale watching and fishing charters.
It was a whale-watching boat, St Francis Safaris
It was a meteor and one meteorite has been found in Kirkwood. The meteorite is a member of the HED group and from Asteroid 4 Vesta. Dirk Ross…Tokyo https://lunarmeteoritehunters.blogspot.com/2024/08/kirkwood-south-africa-meteor-entry.html