The mysterious disappearance of an F-5E Tiger II fighter from the Brazilian Air Force (FAB) may finally have come to an end, 40 years after its disappearance. A fisherman and a sailor found parts of the supersonic jet that disappeared in Lagoa dos Patos in 1982.
The accident, recounted in other matter of this portal, completed four decades this year. On July 28, 1982, a pair of F-5 fighters from the Pampa Squadron (1st/14th GAv, Canoas Air Base unit) took off for a dogfight mission, an operation that had always been part of the unit's routine. The aircraft flew to one of the training areas over Lagoa dos Patos and began combat.
In one of the F-5s, registration FAB 4831, was Lieutenant Aviator Edson Luiz Chiapetta Macedo. That would be his last flight. At some point during training, Lieutenant Edson suffered spatial disorientation and dived with the fighter into the Lagoon. The other F-5 returned to Canoas and the FAB began the search immediately. For two weeks, the Air Force, the Police and the Fire Department searched for the F-5, finding only small pieces.
The mystery was perpetuated, with the population creating theories and assumptions about the accident, some that mention desertion and even extraterrestrials. But this whole story found a new chapter, probably one of its last, about a month ago, when fisherman Josoé Ortiz, from Palmares do Sul, ended up capturing one of the pieces of the plane in one of his nets for fishing for mullet.
Josoé then ed a colleague who sought to put an end to the mystery. Cristian Yanzer is an airline pilot and sailor. In an interview with AEROFLAP, he says that as a child, he witnessed several of these aerial trainings while fishing with his father in Lagoa do Casamento.
Around the age of 12, the aviator, who is now 44 years old, learned the story of the pilot and the FAB plane that disappeared in those waters. “Being a fighter pilot was a childhood dream and I attended Canoas Air Force Base most of my adolescence, always hearing about the 4831”, tells Yanzer.
The pieces found by Josoé were identified by Yanzer as pieces of the F-5's and fuselage.
For five years he has been navigating the region of the accident, trying to find answers to the many questions about the disappearance of the 4831 and its pilot. But he says that without Josoé's findings, it would have taken years. “It was the crucial clue as he was fishing very close to the wreckage… Chance ended up helping”, scores.
“He collected small pieces of the and some parts of the fuselage. Most fit in the palm of your hand or little more. But it was enough to make me sure he was in the vicinity of the impact site.”
On 11/08, Yanzer took advantage of the good weather and left with the sailboat Viking, equipped with sidescan sonar, to probe the area.
Commander Yanzer's expedition, named “Missão Tigre na Lagoa”, has, however, a special objective. “The most important thing, in my opinion, will be the encouragement for the Aviator's family, who together with the FAB will finally be able to give this warrior a resting place and, who knows, a military funeral.”
