What seemed like a piece of old metal that washed ashore at Vergenoegen, East Bank Essequibo turned out to be a part from a satellite and was removed by police yesterday.
Residents told Stabroek News that the object which had the name, ‘Telespazio Finmeccanica/Thales Company’ – a satellite company – on it was at the shore for about one month.
They thought nothing of it because the side with the identifying name was not
visible and just looked like “old metal.”
According to them, it was first stuck among some mangroves but the tide recently moved it and it was hitting against the concrete wall.
The police apparently became aware of the object on Sunday and a team went to examine it. They returned yesterday morning along with persons who took photographs of it.
Residents said the police were of the view that the part was from a plane and they were planning to conduct investigations. They said one of the men who visited with the police paid about eight men to turn the object over and place it on the sea dam. Later, police returned with a truck and took it away to the Leonora Police Station.
Residents said the item was first discovered by a fisherman and he informed other residents about it. After seeing it there for a while, a fisherman was also planning to remove it yesterday to put it to “good use.” According to information on the company’s website, Telespazio, a joint venture between Finmeccanica (67%) and Thales (33%), is one of the world’s leading players in satellite services. The company, headquartered in Rome, Italy, employs approximately 2500 people. It relies on an international network of space centres and teleports and operates worldwide through many subsidiaries.