In mid-January 1971, the U. S. Geological Survey Saudi Arabian Project learned that a meteorite fell near the town of Sakakah in northwestern Saudi Arabia during the evening of January 8. The U. S. Geological Survey is cooperating with the Saudi Arabian Directorate General of Mineral Resources in a mineral exploration program that is sponsored by the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. A field party consisting of William R. Greenwood and Donald H. Johnson, U. S. Geological Survey geologists, and Mohammed Sultan Bahabri, Directorate General of Mineral Resources geologist, set off for Sakakah on February 23 and 24, 1971, after the end of the Islamic Holiday of Eid Al Adha, by Ministry of Petroleum and Mineral Resources helicopter and by Saudi Arabian Airlines commercial airplane. Accomodations were graciously provided at the Tapline pumping station at Badanah through the cooperation of Donald Cole, Acting Station Superintendent at Badanah, and Harry Alter, Acting Chief, Aramco office in Jiddah.
The field party visited Amir Abdullah Misha'd bin Jiluwi, Governor of the Northern Frontier Province, in 'Ar'Ar on February 24 to inform him of the proposed search. He graciously offered the considerable assistance of his office.
