Mystery surrounds 'plane crash' reports

A remote area of land in Fermanagh is being searched

Mystery surrounds the source of flames and smoke in the sky over County Fermanagh which has sparked a major search operation.

Initial reports suggested it may have been a plane crash but the police have said this may have been a mistake.

About 12 people described seeing flames and smoke on the side of the Benaughlin Mountain, near Kinawley, on Tuesday night.

I saw a dot at the front and a black trail of smoke leading down an angle towards the mountain

Paul McCaffrey, witness

However, nothing was found and emergency services resumed their search on Wednesday morning.

The police have said no aircraft had been reported missing and it is thought they are beginning to discount that theory.

But there is speculation that it may have been a meteorite.

Paul McCaffrey, who raised the alarm with a friend, is convinced he saw something in the sky with smoke billowing from it.

"I saw a dot at the front and a black trail of smoke leading down at an angle towards the mountain," he said.

"It came down behind the mountain and there was black smoke.

"I know what I saw. It was definitely something with black smoke trailing behind it."

Aircraft accounted for

After the alarm was raised, emergency services were called to the remote area where access was said to be difficult.

A British Army helicopter using heat sensitive equipment also flew over the area.

But following more than three hours of extensive searches, nothing was found.

A spokesman from St Angelo Airport near Enniskillen said all aircraft in the area had been accounted for.

RUC chief inspector John Barr said he believed the call which alerted them was genuine.

"Police received initial reports from a resident of the Kinawley area that what he had seen appeared to be an aircraft, which was coming down and hit the side of a mountain.

"It was a genuine mistake. There was nothing to suggest anything other than a genuine mistake."