Discussing a video of the strange event, some commentators suggested that it could be a meteorite, while others thought it could have been a burning plane.
The UAE's Thenational.ae news website quoted the Dubai Astronomy Group as saying that the mysterious object was debris from Russia's Progress cargo spaceship "disintegrating in the atmosphere."
Mohammed bin Rashid Space Center confirmed that a meteorite has passed through the skies of Dubai pic.twitter.com/acPvBRTIp7
— Dubai Media Office (@DXBMediaOffice) 16 октября 2017 г.
Russia's RIA Novosti news agency in turn claimed that most likely, it was the Soyuz-2.1a booster, which put the Progress MS-07 into orbit.
OVNI O METEOROS CAYENDO EN DUBAI EMIRATOS ARABES 16/10/2 UFO OR METEORS FALLING IN DUBAI E… https://t.co/HZ1jHFeitO https://t.co/qgRqlj3dP2
— Dubai Informer (@Dubaiinformer) 17 октября 2017 г.
The Russian cargo spacecraft docked with the International Space Station (ISS) in automatic mode on Monday.
Amazing meteor or ufo or whatever over Dubai #mydubai #dubaimeteor #dafza pic.twitter.com/2fBp0Yi7Bj
— ayhan siriner (@ayhansiriner) 16 октября 2017 г.
It delivered fuel, food, water and parcels to the ISS crew from relatives and friends, as well as other cargo to help maintain the space outpost.
