FY AQUILAE AND THE GAMMA-RAY BURST GB-790331

We have reexamined several classic gamma-ray bursts with relatively small error boxes and in this Letter we report on unusual optical phenomena in the vicinity of FY Aql, a Mira variable found inside the error box of GB 790331. We find no trace of the optical nebulosity seen surrounding FY Aql in 1986 observations, in either deep archival R-band photographic data from 1950 or in deep R-band CCD images taken in 1993. In addition, we have obtained detailed spectroscopy of the FY Aql system which reveals the presence of a significant ''blue bump'' in the Mira spectrum. Model fitting of our direct CCD images confirms that FY Aql might have an unresolved close companion. Given this unusual optical signature, we reassess the possible connection with GB 790331.