UFO/UAP SIGHTINGS
1951-1999
Comprehensive list of UFO/UAP Sightings throughout the world.
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/ UFO / UFO Sightings 1951-1999
UFO SIGHTINGS LEGEND
February 10, 1951
Gander, Newfoundland UFO Sighting
Source: Graham Bethune
On February 10, 1951, a United States Navy aircraft flying from Iceland to Gander, Newfoundland, reported a near-collision with a large, orange, circular UFO object. The object was described by the co-pilot as "almost literally flew circles around" the American aircraft before speeding away.
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Co-pilot Graham Bethune reported that he and the pilot observed the orange, circular UFO object above the ocean for four to five minutes. Just after they called it to the attention of the rest of the crew, the UFO abruptly changed its angle of attack and moved toward the plane, leading to the near-collision.
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The UFO object was reportedly detected by ground radar in Gander, corroborating the visual sighting from the aircraft.
A full, official report was filed and investigated by the government. According to UFO author Jerome Clark, the United States Air Force concluded that the UFO sighting was a high-altitude research balloon or the planet Venus.
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Co-pilot Bethune, however, rejected the official explanation. He maintained that he had seen a gray UFO disc that hovered and then accelerated away with great speed and erratic maneuvers, unlike a weather balloon or a celestial object. He claimed that Navy commanders and Naval Intelligence officers also interviewed him and appeared convinced that the UFO object was real and unidentified.
1951
New Delhi, India UFO Sighting
Source: Unknown
Members of a flying club reported seeing a cigar-shaped UFO object, approximately 100 feet long, in the sky over New Delhi.
August 25-30, 1951
Lubbock, Texas UFO Sighting
Source: Carl Hart Jr. and 4 Science Professors
The first widely reported UFO sighting occurred on August 25, 1951, when four science professors from Texas Technological College, which is now Texas Tech University, saw a "fast-moving, semicircular formation of 20 to 30 lights" pass silently overhead.
The professors described the UFO lights as bluish-green, slightly larger and brighter than a star. Over the next few weeks, numerous other residents reported similar sightings of formations of lights moving at high speeds and making sharp turns.
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On the night of August 30, 1951, a Texas Tech student named Carl Hart, Jr. captured five photos of a V-shaped formation of lights with a 35mm camera. The photos were published in newspapers across the country and in Life magazine, bringing widespread publicity to the incident. The Air Force analyzed the photos but could not definitively prove whether they were genuine or a hoax. Other witnesses reported seeing a "huge, soundless flying wing" moving over the city in August 1951. One UFO sighting was reportedly even picked up on radar.
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The Lubbock Lights UFO incident was investigated by the United States Air Force as part of Project Blue Book. The lead investigator, Captain Edward J. Ruppelt, examined the evidence, and several theories were put forward to explain the phenomena:
The birds theory: The most prominent and highly contested explanation was that the lights were the illuminated undersides of a flock of nocturnal birds called mountain plovers. Proponents of this theory suggested the birds' bellies were reflecting the bright new streetlights of Lubbock. The Texas Tech professors immediately rejected this, stating the UFO objects moved too fast and too silently to be birds. A biologist also noted that mountain plovers were not prevalent in the area at that time of year.
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The "flying wing" theory: Edward Ruppelt acknowledged that some of the UFO sightings might have been of an experimental Air Force "flying wing" jet bomber. However, he could not explain why witnesses consistently reported seeing the craft silently, unlike a jet bomber.
Edward Ruppelt's ultimate conclusion was ambiguous. He reportedly stated that all but the radar sighting remained "unknowns." He later wrote in his 1956 book, The Report on Unidentified Flying Objects, that the UFO lights were a "very commonplace and easily explainable natural phenomenon," but never provided a concrete explanation.
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The Lubbock Lights remains one of the most famous and well-documented UFO sightings in American history, largely due to the number of credible witnesses, including scientists, who reported the phenomena. ​
January 29, 1952
Wonson and Sunchon, North Korea UFO Sighting
Source: United States B-29 Crews
The UFO events occurred late at night over the cities of Wonsan and Sunchon in North Korea. At the time, Wonsan was under a naval blockade and Sunchon was the site of a major air battle.
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Around midnight, a B-29 bomber flying at 20,000 feet reported seeing an unusual orange UFO light. The crew described the object as a globe shaped UFO light that occasionally emitted blue flames, similar to those from a cooking stove.
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The UFO object was estimated to be about three feet in diameter and reportedly stayed with the bomber for at least five minutes as it flew at 200 mph. Separately, the crew of a second B-29 bomber from a different squadron reported a similar sighting of a lighted orange UFO sphere. The object followed their plane for a full minute as they flew back to base.
UFO experts noted the significance of the two independent sightings that corroborated each other, occurring over two locations that were hundreds of miles apart.
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The Cold War had intensified fears that reported unidentified flying objects might be new Soviet technology. UFO sightings became a recurring theme during the Korean War, with thousands of service members under immense stress. Some have speculated these incidents were due to psychological factors, while others believe they represent genuine anomalies.
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The Wonsan-Sunchon UFO incident was part of a larger wave of UFO sightings in 1952. This period culminated in a series of highly publicized UFO sightings over Washington D.C., which drew significant public and government attention.​
July 14, 1952
Chesapeake Bay UFO Sighting
Source: William Nash and William Fortenberry
On July 14, 1952, Pan American pilots William B. Nash and William H. Fortenberry reported a UFO sighting over the Chesapeake Bay area.
While flying a DC-4 from New York to Miami, William Nash and WilliamFortenberry saw six reddish-orange disc-shaped UFO objects moving rapidly below their aircraft flying in formation, followed by two more UFOs that joined the group.
The pilots described the UFOs movements as flying in a "narrow echelon formation," performing coordinated aerial maneuvers, which included a "flip on edge" that occurred in perfect unison, and the formation then also rearranged itself, with five of the UFO objects sliding past the leader. Finally, the UFO group then flew off at an incredible speed in a graceful 45 degree arc. The entire event lasted only 12 to 15 seconds. The off-duty flight crew in the passenger cabin did not see the UFO objects.
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The widely-reported UFO sighting drew national attention, and intelligence agents in Miami interviewed William Nash and William Fortenberry separately. Given the detailed nature of the observation and the pilots' credentials, the UFO sighting was considered highly credible. It was officially recorded as "unknown" in Project Blue Book, the United States Air Force's official investigation into UFOs.
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Although the United States Air Force was unable to explain the UFO sighting, skeptics have proposed several possible explanations:
Atmospheric distortion: Some skeptics, like Donald Menzel, have suggested the pilots saw lights on the ground that were distorted by a layer of haze.
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Mirage: Researcher Steuart Campbell suggested the UFO sighting was a mirage of the planet Venus.
Reflected lights: Donald Menzel also later suggested the pilots may have seen fireflies trapped between the cockpit windows.
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However, despite the skeptical theories, both William Nash and William Fortenberry remained convinced that what they saw was an intelligently operated UFO craft. As reported in the Miami Herald and other papers at the time, they stated, "Though we don't know what they were, what they were doing here or where they came from, we are certain in our own minds that they were intelligently operated craft from somewhere other than this planet".
July 1952
Washington D.C. UFO Sighting
Source: National Newspapers
In the summer of 1952, radar and visual sightings of UFOs over Washington, D.C., made national news, prompting military investigations and a highly publicized Air Force press conference.
Military jets scrambled to intercept the UFO objects, which were described as bright lights, but the objects evaded them. While the public was abuzz with rumors of "flying saucers" and an "invasion" of the capital, the official explanation from the Pentagon, though lacking support from firsthand witnesses, attributed the radar blips to temperature inversions.
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On the weekends of July 19–20 and July 26–27, air traffic controllers at Washington National Airport and Andrews Air Force Base detected multiple unidentified radar blips.
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Witnesses, including air traffic controllers and professional pilots, reported seeing unexplained, bright lights in the sky over the White House and the Capitol. ​
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At the press conference, a single suggestion was made that temperature and humidity inversions could have caused the radar anomalies. ​This explanation was not supported by witnesses and was even rejected by the United States Weather Bureau. ​The official stance of the Air Force, though obscured from the public, was that the objects were truly "unknowns."
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The UFO incidents led to significant media attention and public excitement, with headlines across the country reporting on the "flying saucers" over the capital. ​The events of 1952 are considered a significant event in the history of the "Washington flap" and led to increased public interest and government scrutiny of UFOs, contributing to the creation of Project Blue Book, the Air Force's UFO investigation program.
September 10, 1954
Quarouble, France UFO Sighting
Source: Marius Dewilde
In Quarouble, France, on the night of September 10, 1954, around 10:30 p.m., Marius Dewilde, a 34-year-old metal worker, heard his dog begin to bark fiercely, prompting him to go outside with a flashlight. Marius lived in a small house next to a level crossing beside a railway line.
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Marius Dewilde reported seeing a “dark mass” on the train tracks. He first saw what he thought might be a hay cart or dark UFO object on the railway tracks, which was a few meters from his home. He then heard footsteps. Turning on his flashlight, he saw two small humanoid alien figures, wearing something like diving suits with helmet-like, reflective domes near the UFO.
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When he approached the alien figures and got within about 2-4 meters, a bright beam of light, which is sometimes described as orange or green, and intense like a “magnesium flash," shone from the UFO object and he felt paralyzed, and unable to move. His flashlight and reportedly died as well.
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The two alien beings walked toward the UFO object, a door opened, they entered, and the craft rose up, making a low whistling sound, and emitted smoke or steam. As it rose, it changed color between red and orange before disappearing.
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​On the ground where the UFO object had been, symmetric depressions were found on the railway ties. The stones under the tracks were reportedly carbonized, suggesting that they were exposed to heat.
His dog apparently died several days later following the UFO even. Nearby cattle reportedly died under strange circumstances, which included claims of blood loss. Marius Dewilde also claimed that he had respiratory issues and other health problems afterward.
The local police and other authorities did investigate the site. Local newspapers reported about the UFO case soon afterward. This UFO incident generated a lot of public interest. Several other people in nearby villages claimed seeing red glows or UFO lights around the same time.
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Besides Marius Dewilde’s claims, no one else saw the alien humanoids up close. The physical evidence is partly ambiguous. Some reports dispute the carbonization. Other reports note that no footprints of the alien beings were found.
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It has also been suggested that Marius Dewilde had suffered a prior industrial accident involving head trauma, possibly causing nervous or perceptual problems.
October 21, 1954
Ranton, Staffordshire, England UFO Sighting
Source: Jessie Rosenberg
On 21st October 1954 in Ranton, Staffordshire, Jessie Rosenberg, age 29, was waiting for her husband to come home from work, when she heard a loud noise like water being poured over a fire. She went outside and found her two sons lying on the ground in the garden, and they began shouting at Jessie that there was a flying saucer, and she felt a strange sensation.
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She looked up and saw a huge Mexican-hat shaped, bright silver UFO saucer stationary, but tilted in the air, and Jessie could see 2 alien occupants inside the craft, through a window, and these occupants were staring at her. She described these occupants as beautiful "people." The occupants had long golden hair, beautiful faces, larger foreheads, were wearing a pale blue jumpsuit, and transparent fish bowl helmets on their heads.
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Jessie says that she was paralyzed with fear but also mesmerized , but she says the 2 alien occupants looked sympathetic towards her. She then looked down at her boys and then back up again, and then UFO and occupants were gone.
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Jessie and her 2 boys then went inside her house and hid under their kitchen table until her husband came home from work.
October 27, 1954
Stadio Artemio Franchi in Florence, Italy UFO Sighting
Source: 10,000 Spectators
During a Fiorentina vs. Pistoiese soccer match at Stadio Artemio Franchi in Florence, Italy, on October 27, 1954, play was suspended as thousands of spectators witnessed cigar-shaped UFOs and a falling silvery, sticky substance dubbed "angel hair."
Over 10,000 spectators saw multiple high-speed, cigar-shaped UFO objects performing acrobatics in the sky. In addition, a white, sticky, stringy substance fell from the sky, covering the stadium and surrounding areas. The referee stopped the match due to the unusual event.
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Witnesses, including Fiorentina player Ardico Magnini, described the UFO objects as astonishing and unlike anything they had seen before.
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Some witnesses, and also UFO believers such as Roberto Pinotti, maintain that the event was a clear sign of alien visitors.
The "angel hair" was collected and chemically analyzed, revealing it contained boron, silicon, calcium, and magnesium, with no radioactive elements. While many believed it to be evidence of alien visitors, a leading theory suggests the substance was the silk of migrating spiders, though the chemical composition did not perfectly match this idea.
A more common explanation is that the "angel hair" was the silk of mass-migrating spiders. The substance was similar to the "spider silk" often seen during arachnid migrations. However, the presence of elements like boron and calcium in the analysis didn't fit perfectly with this natural phenomenon. ​​​
August 21, 1955
Hopkinsville, Kentucky UFO and Alien Sighting
Source: Billy Ray Taylor and Family
According to the accounts of the eleven people at the farm, the UFO and alien events unfolded as follows:
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The UFO incident began when Billy Ray Taylor went to a well and saw a shiny, egg-shaped, silvery UFO object with rainbow-colored exhaust, streak across the sky before landing in a nearby gully. His family and friends initially dismissed his claims as a joke.
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About an hour later, the family dog began barking violently. Elmer "Lucky" Sutton and Billy Ray Taylor went to the back porch to investigate. They saw a small, humanoid alien creature with an oversized head, large glowing eyes, and long arms standing near their home.
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Frightened, the two men retrieved a shotgun and a .22 rifle and began firing at the alien creature. The creature reportedly flipped over and retreated, but seemed unharmed by the shots.
The family returned inside, but the alien creatures, which they estimated numbered 12 to 15, continued to terrorize them for nearly four hours. They allegedly saw alien creatures peering through windows and reaching for them from the roof overhang. Every time they shot at the alien beings, the creatures would disappear, only to reappear moments later.
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Around 11:00 p.m., the family, which consisted of eight adults and three children, escaped the farmhouse in their cars and drove to the Hopkinsville Police Station. Police officers later noted that the family appeared genuinely terrified.
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When law enforcement and military personnel from nearby Fort Campbell arrived at the farm, they found evidence of the gunfight, such as bullet holes and spent shell casings, but saw no sign of the alien creatures. The family left the farm that night, but they claimed the creatures returned at 3:30 a.m..
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Skeptics and many scientific investigators offer more rational explanations for the events, viewing the case as a misidentification of natural phenomena.
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Owls: The most common and compelling skeptical theory suggests the family misidentified aggressive Great Horned Owls. Owls are nocturnal with large, glowing yellow eyes, can fly silently, and aggressively defend their nests, all consistent with the family's report. Some accounts also note that the "shimmer" of the creatures' bodies could have been the moonlight reflecting off the birds.
Meteor: The first sighting of a strange light in the sky could have been a meteor, as other meteor sightings were reported that night.
Alcohol or mass hysteria: While police initially found no evidence of alcohol consumption, some have suggested that intoxication or the excitement of the situation could have played a part. A case of mass hysteria could also explain why so many people experienced the same phenomenon.
Foxfire: The glowing patch reported near the fence was likely foxfire, a bioluminescent fungus found on decaying wood.
The alien story received national media attention, and the family was overwhelmed by curious visitors and reporters. The attention and ridicule were so intense that the matriarch of the family sold the farmhouse and moved. The United States Air Force's Project Blue Book investigated the case and officially classified it as a hoax with no further comment.​
August 13, 1956
Lakenheath-Bentwaters, England UFO Sighting
Source: United States Air Force and Royal Air Force
On the night of August 13–14, 1956, multiple UFO objects were picked up by radar at United States Air Force bases in Lakenheath and Bentwaters in England.
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The UFO objects were tracked at speeds exceeding 4,000 mph and performed unusual maneuvers, including flying in formation, converging into a single, larger object, and making sharp turns.
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United States Air Force jets from the these bases were scrambled to intercept the UFO objects. A United States Air Force pilot reportedly engaged with the UFO object, which then executed evasive maneuvers, eventually disappearing after being pursued by the pilot.
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The UFO incident included radar operators and pilots who confirmed the presence of unidentified objects with extraordinary flight capabilities.
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The United States Air Force did not acknowledge the UFO incident, and British authorities failed to act on a memo drafted by an American officer.
In the late 1960s, the Condon Committee, a university-funded study examining UFO reports, concluded that conventional explanations were insufficient and the probability of a genuine UFO being involved was "fairly high."
Some theories suggest the events could be explained by false radar returns or misidentification of astronomical phenomena, such as bright stars. However, the extraordinary flight characteristics and multiple radar and visual confirmations have led many UFO researchers, and some official reports to consider the possibility that at least one genuine unidentified flying object was actually present.
May 3, 1957
Edwards Air Force Base, California UFO Sighting
Source: Gordon Cooper, James Bittick, and Jack Gettys
On May 3, 1957, future astronaut Gordon Cooper, and a test pilot at the time, was overseeing the installation of an Askania Cinetheodolite precision landing system near Edwards Air Force Base. A camera crew, consisting of James Bittick and Jack Gettys, was working on a dry lake bed in California.
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According to the crew's report to Gordon Cooper, they saw a "saucer-like" UFO craft descend, land using three extended landing gears, and then take off silently as they approached it. The men, who were used to seeing experimental aircraft, were described as clearly unnerved, and took pictures of the UFO.
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Gordon Cooper had the film developed, looked at the negatives, and claimed the photographs were excellent and matched the crew's description of the UFO. Gordon was instructed to place the film in a locked courier pouch and send it directly to the Pentagon without making any prints. Gordon Cooper never heard what happened to the film, and no follow-up investigation of the incident was ever made public.
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For the rest of his life, Gordon Cooper maintained that the United States government was covering up information about UFOs. He testified about his UFO beliefs and personal sightings, which also included experiences while flying over Germany in 1951, in front of the United Nations in 1978 and for the 2003 documentary Out of the Blue.
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Some of Gordon Cooper's astronaut colleagues, including Deke Slayton, claimed they never heard Gordon Cooper mention the UFO stories during his time at NASA. Other accounts also raise doubts about Gordon Cooper's memory, including his claim during the Mercury program that he could see man-made objects on Earth from space.
May 20, 1957
East Anglia, England UFO Sighting
Source: Milton Torres
On the night of May 20, 1957, Lieutenant Milton Torres, then 25, was on standby at Royal Air Force Manston in Kent, England. He received an urgent command to scramble his F-86D Sabre jet to intercept a UFO that ground radar had been tracking.
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Milton Torres flew his jet toward the UFO target at high speed, though he could not see the object with his own eyes due to the cloudy conditions. However, the UFO object appeared clearly on his radar, showing a blip so large and intense it resembled a "flying aircraft carrier."
Ground control ordered Milton Torres to fire a full salvo of 24 rockets at the UFO object. This was a "sobering shock" to the young pilot, who had never been given such an order before takeoff.
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Milton Torres locked on his weapons, but as he was seconds away from firing, the UFO object began moving erratically before accelerating away at incredible speed. It vanished from both his radar and the ground control's screen, and the mission was called off.
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After Milton Torres landed, a civilian dressed "like a well-dressed IBM salesman" debriefed Milton. The man classified the UFO incident and threatened Milton Torres with a national security breach if he ever spoke about it. Milton Torres kept silent for over 30 years.
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Milton Torres' account finally became public in October 2008 when the British Ministry of Defence released formerly secret UFO files to the public. His typed manuscript was sent to the Ministry of Defence by a UFO enthusiast in 1988.
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The released Military of Defence and United States military files contained no official explanation for the UFO event, which took place during a period of high Cold War tensions. Some theories speculate it may have been an unexplainable object, while others have suggested it was a classified military experiment, potentially testing Soviet air defenses. However, Milton Torres and others have argued that a military test would not have included an order to fire live rockets.
November 2, 1957
Levelland, Texas UFO Sighting
Source: A.J. Fowler, Weir Clem, Ray Jones, and Drivers
On November 2, 1967, multiple motorists driving on highways around Levelland, Texas claimed that as they approached a glowing UFO object, their engines would stall and their headlights would go out. The vehicles would then restart only after the UFO object had departed.
Among the witnesses were Levelland Police Officer A.J. Fowler, who took numerous calls about the UFO object, and Sheriff Weir Clem, who saw a brilliant red UFO object moving across the sky. Fire Chief Ray Jones also reported seeing the UFO object and experienced his own vehicle's lights and engine sputtering.
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Witnesses described the UFO object as large, brightly lit, and egg or torpedo shaped. The colors varied from orange to blue to green, with some reporting a pulsating blue glow.
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The United States Air Force, through its official UFO investigation, Project Blue Book, hastily concluded that the UFO sightings were caused by "ball lightning" during an electrical storm. Skeptics and prominent scientists, including Project Blue Book consultant Dr. J. Allen Hynek, quickly challenged this explanation. Dr. Hynek admitted that he had made a mistake by concurring with the ball lightning theory without proper information, as there was no evidence of an electrical storm in the area at the time. He also noted there was no proof that ball lightning could cause cars to stall.
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In addition, UFO researchers also pointed out that the United States Air Force's investigation was inadequate, even failing to interview most of the witnesses and omitting them from the final report.
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The Levelland, Texas UFO incident remains a compelling and unresolved UFO case. It is often cited as a classic example of unexplained aerial phenomena that defied official explanations and involved multiple credible witnesses, including law enforcement officials. The widespread media coverage at the time contributed to the case's fame and enduring mystery.
November 4, 1957
Albuquerque, New Mexico UFO Sighting
Source: R.M. Kaser and E.G. Brink
On November 4, 1957, two Civil Aeronautics Administration tower operators at Kirtland Air Force Base in Albuquerque, New Mexico, witnessed a UFO event around 10:45 p.m. Mountain Standard Time.
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A white UFO light was observed traveling eastwards across the airfield. The tower operators, R.M. Kaser and E.G. Brink, briefly confirmed a radar contact before the light descended steeply at the end of Runway 26. Through binoculars, the men saw a dark, egg shaped UFO object, about 15 to 20 feet tall, with a single white light on its base. It crossed the airfield at low altitude.
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The UFO object hovered for up to a minute near the tower before moving east and climbing at high speed into the overcast. Radar confirmed a target moving east, which then turned south at very high speed and orbited the Albuquerque Low Frequency Range Station. The UFO object returned to Kirtland Air Force Base, hovered over a runway marker, and then followed a C-46 aircraft for about 14 miles before fading away.
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The Air Force's investigation, logged under the Project Blue Book files, filed the case with the conclusion "Possible Aircraft." The United States Air Force believed the radar returns were identical to those of a small plane. The final report of the Condon Committee on UFOs later agreed with this assessment. It speculated that a confused private pilot, flying without a flight plan, may have mistakenly attempted to land at the wrong airport.
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When contacted by UFO researcher James E. McDonald in the late 1960s and presented with the official explanation, both tower operators claimed the conclusions were "amusing," casting doubt on the Air Force's findings.
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Despite the official conclusion, the UFO sighting is considered one of New Mexico's most notable cases, partly due to its corroboration by trained military personnel and radar.
April 24, 1964
Socorro, New Mexico UFO Sighting
Source: Lonnie Zamora
On April 24, 1964, Officer Lonnie Zamora told authorities that he was pursuing a speeding car south of Socorro, New Mexico, when he "heard a roar and saw a flame in the sky to southwest some distance away, possibly half a mile or a mile."
Lonnie Zamora apparently believed that a local dynamite shack may have exploded, which made him stop the pursuit and investigate the potential explosion. Lonnie then claimed to have observed a shiny UFO object shaped like the letter O, "to south about 150 to 200 yards."
Lonnie initially believed the object to be an "overturned white car." The UFO object was described, "like aluminum—it was whitish against the mesa background, but not chrome."
Lonnie Zamora also claimed to have briefly observed two "people" dressed in white overalls beside the UFO object. He described these "people" as "normal in shape, but possibly they were small adults or large kids."
Lonnie Zamora then claimed to hear a roar from the UFO object, and saw a blue and orange flame under the UFO object. The object then rose up into the air and quickly flew away.
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UFO skeptic Steuart Campbell has suggested that everything seen and heard by Lonnie Zamora, and other witnesses was "almost certainly" a mirage of the star Canopus.
It has also been suggested that Lonnie Zamora witnessed the testing of a lunar landing device by personnel from the White Sands Missile Range.
UFO Skeptic Robert Sheaffer has suggested that the encounter was a hoax perpetrated by students at New Mexico Tech.
July 1, 1965
Valensole, France UFO Sighting
Source: Maurice Masse
According to Maurice Masse, a UFO encounter happened on July 1, 1965, in Valensole, in the Provence region of France.
Around 5:45 a.m., Maurice heard a whistling sound and saw a large, oval-shaped UFO object land in a nearby field. He approached the craft, which rested on four legs, and saw two small, humanoid alien beings outside of it. He described the aliens as having oversized heads and slanted eyes, and wearing tight, gray-green clothing.
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The alien beings made "grumbling" noises and appeared to be examining the plants. When Maurice Masse got too close, one of the alien beings pointed a pen-like device at him, and he was instantly paralyzed. Maurice remained frozen for about 20 minutes as he watched the alien beings re-enter their craft. The UFO object then lifted off at high speed and disappeared.
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Following the UFO incident, investigators visited the site and noted several anomalies. The ground where the craft had allegedly rested was hardened, "like concrete." Laboratory analysis of soil samples from the landing area found an abnormally high level of calcium. The vegetation, including the surrounding lavender plants, had withered and died in the area where the UFO object was found. Maurice Masse later reported that he could no longer grow healthy plants there.
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The French Gendarmerie interviewed Maurice Masse and concluded that he was sincere and coherent. While they did not provide a definitive explanation, they could not offer any material proof of a UFO craft.
Significance and skepticism
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However, skeptics have suggested alternative explanations, such as a hallucination or hoax. Others have theorized that the unusual soil and plant effects could be the result of a mundane event. Despite decades of debate, no definitive explanation for the incident has ever been agreed upon.
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As for plants, Valensole, France is most famous for its vast fields of lavender, particularly the lavandin hybrid, which are a staple of the local agriculture and bloom mid-June to mid-July. Other notable plants and crops that thrive on the Valensole Plateau include almond trees, with their own blooming season in the spring, along with fields of wheat, rosemary, thyme, and clary sage, which create a unique, fragrant landscape.
September 3, 1965
Exeter, New Hampshire UFO Sighting
Source: Norman Muscarello
On September 3, 1965, 18-year old Norman Muscarello was hitchhiking home at about 2:00 a.m., when he saw a bright, double-saucer-shaped UFO object with running red lights that followed him.
​Norman Muscarello went to the Exeter Police Department, and Officer Bertrand, who had received similar reports that night, accompanied him back to the UFO sighting location, and they both saw the UFO object.
A second officer was sent, and the UFO object then "ascended straight up in the air and took off down toward the river".
The UFO case gained national attention, and the Air Force investigated it under Project Blue Book, the government's UFO investigation program. The Pentagon dismissed the UFO sighting as "twinkling stars." However, Project Blue Book later attributed the UFO incident to a military training mission, though no definitive answer was ever given.
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The incident became one of the most famous UFO sightings and garnered nationwide headlines. ​The UFO event is commemorated annually by the Exeter Kiwanis Club, which sponsors a festival celebrating the incident. ​
The Exeter UFO incident continues to draw interest from UFO researchers and the public, with some witnesses and locals affirming that "something really happened" that night.
April 6, 1966
Westall High School in Melbourne, Austrlia UFO Sighting
Source: Students and Teachers at Westall High School
The Westall UFO incident occurred on April 6, 1966, when over 200 students and teachers at Westall High School in Melbourne, Australia, witnessed multiple UFOs.
Witnesses described seeing several silvery UFO objects, with one landing in a nearby paddock, leaving behind a circular, flattened area of grass. Military personnel reportedly arrived with radiation detection equipment, and witnesses were warned to remain silent about the event. Despite attempts to explain it as a weather balloon or military experiment, the case remains largely unsolved, with a local park now commemorating the incident.
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On April 6, 1966, around 11 a.m., over 200 students and teachers from Westall High School in Melbourne, Australia, saw several silvery, unidentified flying objects in the sky over the school oval. One UFO object, described as a saucer with a dome on top, reportedly landed in a nearby paddock, with a circular area of flattened grass was found at the landing site.
Some witnesses reported a buzzing sound and intense heat.
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Following the sighting, military personnel reportedly swarmed the area with radiation detection equipment. Witnesses, including a teacher named Andrew Greenwood, claim they were threatened and warned by officials not to discuss the event to avoid job loss or professional repercussions. In addition, an official report on the incident went missing.
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The incident has been suggested to be a military experiment or a misidentified high-altitude weather balloon from a project known as HIBAL. ​However, theories like the weather balloon are challenged by the lack of collected evidence from the site and the unusual physical evidence, like the flattened grass. ​
May 20, 1967
Manitoba, Canada UFO Sighting
Source: Stefan Michalak
According to Stefan Michalak's account, which he maintained until his death in 1999, happened on May 20, 1967, when Stefan Michalak was prospecting near Falcon Lake. He alleges that he saw two glowing, cigar-shaped UFO objects in the sky as he was prospecting.
One of the UFO objects landed on a flat rock surface, while the other flew away. Stefan believed the craft was an experimental United States military vehicle, and he drew a sketch of it before getting closer to it. He noted that there was a strong smell of sulfur and a hissing sound.
As Stefan reached out to touch the smooth, seamless UFO craft, his protective glove melted. The craft rotated and a panel with a grid of holes opened, releasing a blast of hot gas or air. Stefan Michalak's cap and shirt caught fire, and he was struck in the chest, leaving him with first-degree burns in a grid-like pattern on his chest.
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The UFO craft then ascended and flew away. Disoriented, nauseous, and vomiting, Stefan Michalak stumbled back to his motel and later took a bus to Winnipeg, where he was hospitalized for his severe burns.
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The UFO incident led to investigations by the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, the Royal Canadian Air Force, and United States authorities.
When Stefan Michalak later led investigators to the site, they found a 15-foot circular area on the rock devoid of moss and vegetation. Melted metal was found in cracks, and soil samples were retrieved.
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The soil samples and pieces of metal from the site were found to be highly radioactive, though chemists suggested the radioactivity could have been from commercially available radium-based paint. Some sources claim Stefan Michalak's initial items, such as his shirt, did not show radiation.
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In 1968, Stefan Michalak was examined at the Mayo Clinic, where a psychiatrist found him to be of sound mind and not fabricating the story. However, marks that appeared on his abdomen months after the event were later concluded to be self-inflicted.
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Skeptics have offered alternative explanations for the incident:
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Alcohol consumption: Accounts from a Falcon Hotel bartender dispute Stefan Michalak's claim of not drinking, suggesting he had consumed several beers the night before.
Prospecting competition: Skeptics suggest Stefan Michalak fabricated the story to dissuade other prospectors from entering the area where he was looking for silver ore.
Inconsistencies: A Royal Canadian Mounted Police constable noted inconsistencies in Stefan Michalak's initial report and believed he was suffering from a hangover. Stefan also gave authorities supposedly "new" evidence from the site after promising not to disturb it.
August 29, 1967
Cussac, France UFO Sighting
Source: Francois and Anne-Marie
The Cussac, France UFO incident refers to a 1967 event around 10:30 a.m., where a 13 year Francois, and his 9 year old sister Anne-Marie, reported seeing four short, black alien beings, which were about 47 inches tall, enter a hovering, round spaceship over their field.
The spaceship was about 15 feet in diameter. The brother and sister also saw one of the aliens emerge briefly again from the spaceship to retrieve something before re-entering.
The children, accompanied by police and later their father, described the UFO sphere's silent, spiraling ascent, its eventual brilliant flash, and a strong lingering sulfur smell after the spaceship disappeared.
The French government investigated the case, noting physical evidence like dried grass at the takeoff location, but found no rational explanation for the event, though they did not attribute it to aliens. ​​However, investigators were reportedly impressed by the consistency of the witnesses' details.
October, 1967
North Devon, England UFO Sighting
Source: Roger Willey and Clifford Waycott
Officers Roger Willey and Clifford Waycott, witnessed what they describe as an "unusual bright white light in the sky," while they were driving on a road at dusk.
The officers alleged that the UFO object was a brilliant white slow moving light. The officers also said that the UFO looked like a star-spangled cross with radiating points of light from all angles.
The object was apparently travelling about tree-top height over the forest. The officers allege that they drove towards the UFO object and it appeared to move away from them, and they felt that the object was leading them on a chase.
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Due to the timing of the incident and the description of the UFO object, it appears plausible that what they actually saw may have been the planet Venus.
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October 4, 1967
Shag Harbour, Nova Scotia UFO Sighting
Source: Laurie Wickens and his four friends
The Shag Harbour UFO Incident occurred on October 4, 1967, when multiple witnesses saw a low-flying, glowing UFO object crash into the waters off Shag Harbour, Nova Scotia.
An official search by the Canadian military found no debris, but government documents referred to it as a UFO. The event became Canada's best-known UFO case due to extensive documentation and witness accounts, including those of fishermen, RCMP officers, and an airline pilot. The incident's official conclusion is that the UFO object was never identified, and its source remains a mystery, though local and off-the-record accounts suggest more complex events, such as underwater UFOs being monitored by the Navy.
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On October 4, 1967, residents of Shag Harbour reported seeing a low-flying, lit UFO object descend into the ocean waters offshore around 11:20 PM. Witnesses reported hearing a whistling sound followed by a loud "whoosh" and a bang.
Witness Laurie Wickens and and her four friends first contacted the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, or RCMP, reporting a plane crash. The UFO object was seen floating offshore before submerging, disappearing from view. A mysterious yellow foam was later observed in the water where the object had been.
The Coast Guard, local fishermen, and the Royal Canadian Navy were involved in search and rescue efforts, but found nothing. A trove of government and police records, uncovered years later, confirmed the incident and described the object as a UFO. The Canadian government's conclusion stated that no known aircraft crashed that night, and the UFO object was never identified.
The Shag Harbour UFO incident is considered one of the most credible and well-documented UFO cases in Canada. Over the years, witnesses and researchers have shared off-the-record accounts of military involvement with underwater objects in the area, though these are not part of the official record. ​
1969
Leary, Georgia UFO Sighting
Source: President Jimmy Carter
On a clear, cold night, in 1969, former President Jimmy Carter and other members of the Lions Club were gathered outside for a dinner in Leary, Georgia, when they saw a bright, luminous UFO object in the western sky. The object appeared about as big and bright as the moon, hovered for 10 to 12 minutes, and changed colors from blue, to red, then to white. It then moved away and disappeared.
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In 1973, the International UFO Bureau sent a form to Jimmy Carter, who was governor of the State of Georgia at the time, asking for a report from him of his UFO sighting in 1969. Jimmy Carter filled out the form by hand, noting the observation in the document.
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During his 1976 presidential campaign, Jimmy Carter was open about the UFO sighting. He pledged that if elected, he would release all government information on UFOs to the public. However, after becoming president, he walked back the promise, saying that national security concerns prevented him from doing so.
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In 2016, researcher Jere Justus determined the UFO object Carter saw was "totally consistent" with a high-altitude barium cloud released during a NASA rocket launch from Eglin Air Force Base that same night. The chemical cloud would have appeared at the precise time and location Jimmy Carter recorded, and displayed the same kind of size and color shifts described by witnesses.
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Despite the UFO sighting, Jimmy Carter never concluded he had seen an alien spacecraft. He simply stated that it was an object he could not identify. As an amateur astronomer and former naval officer, Jimmy Carter was certain the UFO object was not the planet Venus.
November 2, 1971
Delphos, Kansas UFO Sighting
Source: Ronnie Johnson
Around 7:00 p.m., while tending to sheep, Ronnie Johnson heard a rumbling sound. He saw an extremely bright, multicolored UFO object illuminating the area. The object, which he described as resembling a mushroom, hovered approximately 75 feet away before ascending and flying away.
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Following the UFO craft's departure, Ronnie's parents were called to the scene. Where the UFO object had been, they found a glowing, phosphorescent ring on the ground, measuring about eight feet in diameter.
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The family took a photograph of the ring and notified police, who later found the ring was so bright it cast reflections on the grass. When touched, the residue caused burning and numbness to the skin. The glowing effect faded over time.
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Law enforcement and UFO researchers, including noted physical-trace investigator Ted Phillips, quickly investigated the site. Soil samples from the ring showed unusual properties. The ground had become hydrophobic, meaning it repelled water, and contained baffling white particles.
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Some UFO researchers claimed the analysis of the residue strongly implicated an unusual luminescence technology. However, others noted that without independent analysis and reliance on witness testimony, the evidence is not conclusive. Some have even suggested mundane explanations, such as chemical fertilizer residue from a chicken feeder that may have once been in that spot.
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The UFO incident attracted significant media attention, including a $5,000 prize from the National Enquirer for the "most valuable" scientific evidence of an alien visit. According to one source, the Johnson family reported experiencing nervous breakdowns three years after the initial UFO event.
Despite investigations, this UFO case remains one of the most well-documented trace cases in UFO history. While some elements have been scrutinized, the exact cause of the UFO event is still unexplained, and it continues to be discussed among skeptics and believers.
October 18, 1973
Mansfield, Ohio UFO Sighting
Source: Lawrence Coyne and Crew
As a four man crew, led by pilot Captain Lawrence Coyne, flew their Huey helicopter from Columbus to Cleveland, Ohio, they spotted a red UFO light on the eastern horizon near Mansfield, Ohio.
The light began approaching them at a high speed, and Lawrence Coyne took evasive maneuvers, forcing the helicopter into a rapid descent to avoid a collision. Instead of colliding, the UFO object suddenly stopped in mid-air and hovered directly above their helicopter. The crew described it as a gray, metallic "cigar-shaped" UFO craft, approximately 60 feet long, with a red light on its front and a white light on its tail.
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A bright green light from the UFO's underside then swept over the cockpit. At this point, the crew reported that their helicopter, which had been descending up to this point, began to ascend on its own, gaining over 3,500 feet in altitude. Their radio went dead, and the magnetic compass spun erratically. The UFO then flew away and disappeared from sight.
Upon landing, Lawrence Coyne and his crew filed a formal report detailing the UFO encounter. A compass on the helicopter was discovered to be damaged beyond repair and had to be replaced.
Ground witnesses near Charles Mill Lake also reported seeing a helicopter chasing a strange, pear-shaped UFO light with a green beam on the same night. The incident garnered significant media attention, and Lawrence Coyne himself later testified about the event at the United Nations in 1978.
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Because the United States Air Force's Project Blue Book had been closed by 1973, no official military investigation was conducted. While some skeptical theories suggested the UFO object could have been a meteor from the Orionid shower, no hypothesis has ever fully accounted for all the reported details, including the craft's movements, the green light, and the effects on the helicopter. The incident remains a prominent and unexplained UFO sighting.
August 23, 1974
New York, United States UFO Sighting
Source: John Lennon and May Pang
The John Lennon UFO incident was a widely reported UFO sighting that occurred on August 23, 1974, when John Lennon and his girlfriend, May Pang, claimed to have seen a flying saucer from the balcony of their New York City apartment. The UFO event was corroborated by other witnesses and memorialized in Lennon's work.
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Around 9:00 p.m., on a hot summer night, John Lennon and May Pang saw a large, silent, circular UFO object near a neighboring building. May Pang described it as a flattened cone with a bright red light on top and flashing white lights.
The UFO object, estimated to be the size of a two man Lear jet, moved erratically and silently before leaving. Attempts to take photographs of it were unsuccessful. The next day, police confirmed receiving multiple reports of a UFO.
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John Lennon mentioned the UFO sighting in the liner notes of his 1974 album Walls and Bridges, and alluded to it in his 1984 song "Nobody Told Me." The UFO incident remains a notable celebrity UFO sighting.
September 19, 1976
Tehran, Iran UFO Sighting
Source: Yaddi Nazeri, Parviz Jafari, and Jalal Damirian
On September 19, 1976, a bright UAP was reported in the sky above Tehran, Iran by at least four people. Lieutenant Yaddi Nazeri of the Imperial Iranian Air Force, was first dispatched in an F-4 Phantom II jet interceptor to investigate the UAP. When Yaddi Nazeri reached Tehran, he reported losing all instruments and communications, so he returned to base, reporting that his instruments came back on as he returned to the base.
Major Parviz Jafari, an IIAF squadron commander, along with First Lieutenant Jalal Damirian as weapons officer, were dispatched in a second F-4 Phantom II to intercept the UAP.
As Parviz Jafari approached the UAP, he was able to acquire a radar lock on the UAP at a range of 27 miles. The size of the diamond-shaped UAP was reported to have been similar to a Boeing KC-135 Stratotanker. Parviz Jafari also described the UAP as "flashing with intense red, green, orange and blue lights."
As he approached closer to the UAP to fire an infrared guided AIM-9 Sidewinder missile, his fighter jet equipment suddenly shut down. Only after he began to move his fighter jet away from the UAP, did his instruments finally return to normal. ​​​​​
February 4, 1977
Broad Haven, Wales UFO Sighting
Source: 15 School Children and Teachers
On February 4, 1977, a group of 14 to 16 children playing at Broad Haven Primary School in Wales, saw a yellow, cigar-shaped UFO craft land in a field behind their playground.
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Some of the children also claimed to have seen a silver, humanoid alien figure with pointed ears emerge from the craft. When questioned, the headmaster, Ralph Llewellyn, was initially skeptical but was taken aback when he had the children draw what they saw. Despite being interviewed separately, many produced strikingly similar drawings of the UFO object.​ A few weeks later, on February 17, teachers and other witnesses at the school also reported seeing the UFO craft.
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The schoolchildren's account triggered hundreds of other UFO reports in the region over the following months, which included:
Haven Fort Hotel: In April 1977, Rosa Granville, the owner of the hotel in nearby Little Haven, claimed to have seen an "upside-down saucer" UFO object land in a field. She reported seeing two "faceless humanoid" alien creatures in silver suits emerge from the craft.
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Military Personnel: A former US Navy sailor later claimed that the silver-suited beings were U.S. military personnel wearing fireproof suits and that the UFOs were new Harrier jets being tested.
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Numerous explanations for the sightings were investigated, with no single theory universally accepted.
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Ministry of Defence officials suspected a practical joker was at work. The description of the silver-suited figures closely matched the protective suits used at a nearby oil refinery. A man named Glyn Edwards later admitted in 1996 that he had wandered around the area in a silver fire suit as a prank in 1977, but Mrs. Granville maintained that what she saw was no hoax.
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Because of the proximity of the former Royal Air Force Brawdy airbase, some have suggested the sightings were related to new military aircraft, such as the Harrier jets.
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Other theories propose that the initial sighting by the schoolchildren, amplified by media coverage, could have caused a mass contagion effect, prompting further sightings in the community.
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The Ministry of Defence conducted a discrete investigation into the UFO sightings, though it publicly claimed to have no records. The investigation concluded there was no evidence of a landing and noted the possibility of a local prankster. Files about the incident were later released by the United Kingdom National Archives.​
December 26 and 28, 1980
Rendlesham Forest, Suffolk, England UFO Sighting
Source: Charles Halt and John Burroughs
The Rendlesham Forest incident was a series of alleged UAP sightings near Rendlesham Forest in Suffolk, England, in December 1980, which included with UAP landings. The events occurred just outside RAF Woodbridge, which was used at the time by the United States Air Force. United States Air Force personnel, including deputy base commander Lieutenant Colonel Charles Halt, claimed to see UAP craft.
On December 26, 1980, a security patrol near the east gate of RAF Woodbridge, saw lights apparently descending into nearby Rendlesham Forest. The patrol initially thought it was a downed aircraft. According to Halt's memo, upon entering the forest to investigate, they witnessed a glowing UAP that was metallic in appearance with colored lights. As they approached the UAP, it appeared to move through the trees, and "the animals on a nearby farm went into a frenzy."
John Burroughs also recorded notes about the Rendlesham Forest incident, including his experiences with the strange UFO lights, radar confirmation, and medical effects.
The UFO lights were blue, green, yellow, and white.
Radar confirmed that something was seen on the radar that disappeared into the forest.
Burroughs developed health problems that he traced back to the Rendlesham Forest incident.​
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December 29, 1980
Cash-Landrum Dayton, Texas UFO Sighting
Source: Betty Cash and Vickie Landrum
The Cash-Landrum incident was a UFO sighting in December 1980 in Dayton, Texas, where three witnesses claimed a diamond-shaped UFO craft and a fleet of military helicopters exposed them to intense heat and light. The event is notable for the severe, radiation-like health effects the witnesses suffered and their subsequent, though unsuccessful, lawsuit against the United States government.
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On the evening of December 29, 1980, Betty Cash, Vickie Landrum, and Vickie's 7 year old grandson Colby, were driving home in a rural, wooded area in Piney Woods. The group reported seeing a brilliant light ahead that turned out to be a large, diamond-shaped UFO object, "about the size of the Dayton water tower," hovering at treetop level. The object allegedly expelled flames from its base and radiated an intense, scorching heat.
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As the UFO ascended, the witnesses claim that a fleet of 23 military-style helicopters, identified as tandem-rotor Boeing CH-47 Chinooks, surrounded the UFO object and escorted it away. A local police officer and his wife also reported seeing similar helicopters in the area that night. The entire encounter is said to have lasted about 20 minutes. The heat from the UFO craft was so intense that it made the car's interior painful to touch, allegedly leaving Vickie Landrum's handprint seared into the softened dashboard vinyl.
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After the incident, all three witnesses fell seriously ill, with Betty Cash suffering the most severe symptoms. They experienced nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, intense weakness, and burn-like symptoms on their skin and eyes, similar to the effects of radiation exposure. Cash later developed painful blisters, lost patches of skin and clumps of hair, and required hospitalization.
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A radiologist later concluded the witnesses showed signs of secondary damage from ionizing radiation. However, some experts have argued that if the injuries were caused by radiation, the dose would have been lethal. Skeptics have also pointed to inconsistencies in Cash's medical records and suggested other explanations for her health issues. All three suffered from lasting health problems following the event. Cash passed away on the 18th anniversary of the incident, and Landrum died several years later.
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Based on the involvement of military-style helicopters, Betty Cash and Vickie Landrum sued the United States government for $20 million, alleging government responsibility for their injuries. The United States federal government denied any involvement. Military officials testified that no agency possessed a diamond-shaped UFO craft and that no military helicopters were operating in the area that night. A United States District Court judge dismissed the case in 1986, citing a lack of evidence to prove that the military was responsible.
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The Cash-Landrum UFO incident remains one of the most credible yet unexplained UFO cases due to the witnesses' physical injuries and the presence of corroborating military-style helicopters. Theories range from an alien encounter to a secret military weapon test gone wrong. However, no conclusive explanation has ever been found.
1981
Pennsylvania UFO Sighting
Source: John Kiriakou
John Kiriakou, a former CIA intelligence officer, says that he was driving with his dad one night to their family restaurant in Pennsylvania, through Amish country. Suddenly they saw a brilliant white flash in the sky. They looked up and saw a second, and then a third flash of light. Immediately afterwards, a trapezoid-shaped UFO craft appears and it has orange lights in the four corners of the craft.
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John's dad asked his son, "What is that?" John obviously did not know. Another man pulled up behind them and got out, and asked them "What is that?" Obviously John and his dad had no idea.
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The trapezoid-shaped UFO craft was just hovering there and it was completely silent for about 10 seconds. Suddenly the UFO craft flies away at fantastic speeds that John had never before seen then nor since, and then the UFO was gone.
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November 17, 1986
Anchorage, Alaska UFO Sighting
Source: Captain Kenju Terauchi and his crew
On November 17, 1986, Japan Airlines Cargo Flight 1628 and its crew reported a UFO encounter over Alaska. Captain Kenji Terauchi, a veteran pilot, claimed to have observed three mysterious UFO objects.
He reported two smaller UFOs followed by a UFO "mothership. These UFOs followed his Boeing 747 plane for nearly an hour. The UFO incident attracted significant media attention and led to an official investigation by the Federal Aviation Administration.
The sighting begins at 5:11 p.m., while Captain Kenji was flying west over eastern Alaska. Captain Kenji noticed two unidentified lights to the left and below his aircraft. The UFO objects quickly rose and appeared in front of the jet, performing rapid, erratic maneuvers that he described as defying gravity. The crew reported that the UFO objects emitted a bright light and that they felt warmth from them.
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After the first two UFO objects vanished, a much larger, walnut-shaped UFO object appeared and was referred to as a mothership. Captain Kenji later sketched the object, describing it as being "two times bigger than an aircraft carrier".
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The crew contacted air traffic control, and radar operators in Anchorage, Alaska were able to confirm an unidentified radar return tracking near the plane. A nearby United States Air Force radar station also reportedly picked up the object. Under orders from Air Traffic Control, the crew performed evasive maneuvers, including a 360-degree turn and a change in altitude, but reported that the UFO object continued to follow them. The UFO objects finally disappeared from both the pilots' sight and radar, and the plane landed safely in Anchorage, Alaska.
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The FAA interviewed the flight crew, finding them "professional, rational, no drug or alcohol involvement". Though some radar returns were initially considered confirmatory, a subsequent FAA review dismissed the military data as "clutter" and the civilian radar return as a "split image" of the plane. The official conclusion was that there was not enough evidence to confirm the UFO sighting, though they accepted the crew's account.
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Critically, two other aircraft in the area, a United Airlines plane and a US Air Force C-130, were directed to observe JAL 1628 but reported seeing no unusual objects visually or on their own radar. One common theory is that Captain Kenji may have mistook the planets Jupiter and Mars for UFOs. Critics noted Terauchi had previously reported UFO sightings, calling him a "UFO repeater".
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However, supporters of the alien hypothesis point to the corroborating radar returns and the fact that an experienced pilot and crew would not mistake planets for the objects they described. In addition, after speaking with the media, Japan Airlines grounded Captain Kenji for several years, reportedly for embarrassing the airline, before allowing him to return to flying. He was later transferred back to Japan.
November 1989 - March 30, 1990
Belgium Wave UFO Sighting
Source: Belgian UFO Organization SOBEPS
The Belgian UAP wave began in November 1989. Reports were filed, most many weeks after the alleged events. Many of the reports reported a large UAP flying at low altitude. Some reports also stated that the UAP was a flat, triangular shape, with lights underneath.
The Belgian UAP wave peaked with the events of the night of March 30th, 1990. On that night, one unknown UAP was tracked on radar, and two Belgian Air Force F-16s were sent to investigate, with neither pilot reporting seeing the UAP. Over the following 2 weeks, there were reports from 143 people who claimed to have witnessed the UAP.
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1991
USS Nimitz Black Triangle UFO Sighting
Source: Kevin Thomas
Crewman Kevin Thomas, who was assigned to the USS Nimitz Aircraft Carrier as a production petty officer, alleges that he witnessed a Black Triangle during a mission.
Kevin says that he had a habit of watching the sunset after his shift on the USS Nimitz. This particular night, the ship went dark. Darkened ship occurs when the ship locks down and everything goes dark in order to camouflage the ship from potential attacks.
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Kevin alleges he then saw a huge black UFO Triangle, halfway out of the water about 200 yards away. He said that it was bigger than the Nimitz, with the Nimitz being a little more than 1,100 feet long, and it made no sound. Kevin froze and says that the Black Triangle raised up about 30 to 40 feet above the water, and then sped away up into space at supersonic speeds that he estimated were about Mach 15 to Mach 20.
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In addition, the Pentagon has reported having a clear photo of a "Black Triangle" UFO rising out of the water, but this has not been confirmed. Could this photo be of this same UFO incident as reported by Kevin Thomas?
September 16, 1994
Ariel School in Ruwa, Zimbabwe UFO Sighting
Source: 60 School Children
Over 60 school children described seeing one or more silver, disc-shaped UFO crafts descend and land in a field near their school's playground. The children, who were on their mid-morning break while teachers were in a meeting, reported a consistent story despite being interviewed separately.
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The children described seeing humanoid figures, generally 3 to 4 feet tall, with large, black, almond-shaped eyes. The alien beings were said to be dressed in black, skin-tight outfits.
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Several children claimed the alien beings telepathically communicated with them. The message was described as an environmental warning, with visions showing a world damaged by pollution and war. The communication reportedly caused some of the children to feel scared and cry.
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When the children reported the UFO incident, their teachers were initially skeptical. However, when parents heard the consistent stories from their children, the event drew international attention.
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Cynthia Hind, a local UFO researcher was one of the first investigators on the scene. She interviewed the children and had them draw what they saw, noting the consistency of their accounts despite their varied backgrounds.
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Harvard psychiatrist and Pulitzer Prize winner Dr. John Mack interviewed the students about two months after the incident. He concluded that the children were genuinely telling the truth about what they experienced.
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Critics have offered alternative explanations for the UFO sighting, including:
1. Mass hysteria, which is the idea that the children collectively hallucinated the event, possibly triggered by fear or suggestion.
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2. A large, bright fireball caused by the re-entry of a Russian rocket had been seen over the region a few days earlier, sparking local interest in UFOs. This could have influenced what the children believed they saw.
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3. In a 2023 Netflix documentary, a former student claimed he and some friends made up the story about a "shiny rock" to prank their classmates, and were surprised when the story gained traction. However, other former students dispute this claim.
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The Ariel School incident remains a significant and controversial case in UFO history due to the large number of consistent child witnesses. Many of the children who witnessed the event continue to stand by their stories decades later, and documentaries have revisited their experiences as adults.
March 13, 1997
Phoenix, Arizona Lights UFO Sighting
Source: Kurt Rusesell and Thousands of Civilians
On March 13, 1997, at 7:55 pm, a witness in Henderson, Nevada, reported seeing a large, V-shaped object traveling southeast. At 8:15 pm, an unidentified former police officer in Paulden, Arizona, reported seeing a cluster of reddish-orange lights disappear over the southern horizon. Shortly afterward, there were reports of lights seen over the Prescott Valley, Arizona. In Phoenix, Arizona there were numerous witnesses to this V-shaped UAP.
Tim Ley and his wife Bobbi, his son Hal, and his grandson Damien Turnidge were some of these witnesses. They first saw the lights when they were about 65 miles away from them. The lights appeared as five separate and distinct lights in an arc shape, as if they were on top of a balloon, but they realized that the lights appeared to be moving towards them.
Over the next 10 minutes, the lights appeared to come closer, the distance between the lights increased, and they took on the shape of an upside-down V. Eventually when the lights appeared to be a couple of miles away, the family said they could make out a shape that looked like a 60-degree carpenter's square, with the five lights set into it, with one at the front and two on each side.​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​
March 13, 1997
Mojave Desert near Twentynine Palms Marine Base UFO Sighting
Source: Roderick Castle III
Roderick Castle III, alleges that he and his team of marines, witnessed a UFO the same night as the Phoenix Lights incident on March 13, 1997.
Roderick was a marine stationed at the Air Ground Combat Center Marine Base at Twentynine Palms located in San Bernardino County, California, within the Mojave Desert. Specifically, the base is situated near the town of Twentynine Palms. It is the largest Marine Corps base in the world, covering over 1,100 square miles. The base is approximately 266 miles from Phoenix, Arizona.
Roderick saw the UFO at night while out on overnight crash retrieval duty during a wargame exercise from 7 pm to 7 am. Him and his team of 5 marines were sent to investigate unauthorized flare activity in the region within the Emerson Dry Lake Bed, which is 90 miles southeast of Edwards Air Force base, after the base received a call.
When they arrived on the scene, they went up and over a hill, and encountered a huge black equilateral 300 foot long UFO triangle hovering 150-200 feet above the desert ground with no sound. The UFO triangle had 3 white-yellow orb lights embedded into each corner on the bottom, the corners were rounded, there were vent like structures on the sides, and a concave circle in the middle on the bottom.
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Below the UFO craft were about 5-6 unmarked all black matte jacked up F150 and F350 tactical vehicles, with some vehicles having canopies and other antenna, and also a unit of about 30 heavily armed men with sub machine guns, in black unmarked uniforms, black helmets, black goggles, and black facemasks. These men were possibly mercenaries. About 15 of these mercenaries rushed up the hill towards Roderick's marines.
Roderick and his team was outnumbered and did not put up a fight. They were quickly disarmed, detained at gunpoint to their heads, and threatened to be silent with extremely harsh language. The mercenaries that spoke had American accents.
After about 2 minutes, the UFO triangle craft left at an extremely high rate of speed, traveling quickly towards the northwest. The men in unmarked uniforms ran back down the hill and drove away quickly, following in the direction of the black triangle UFO craft.
Afterwards, Roderick and his team returned to their Humvee vehicle, which would not start for a few minutes. After they returned to their camp, they were greeted by their gunnery sergeant and told that all they saw were just flares, and they agreed that should be the story. Later in the day, they were all given anthrax booster shots which was odd.
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It has been theorized that the black triangle is an alien reproduction vehicle known as the TR-3B and that they mercenaries in black might work for the Wackenhut Security Corporation (also known now as G4S Secure Solutions), the Department of Energy, or a combination of both. If true, these same black mercenaries could be tasked with providing security for these black triangle reproduction vehicles, and maybe also conduct UFO crash retrievals.
1997
Oil Ring in Gulf of Mexico UFO Sighting
Source: Leonard Stringfield
In 1997, a huge cigar-shaped UFO craft rises up out of the ocean near an oil rig, and hovers over the oil rig. Quickly thereafter, 25 military helicopters begin to approach the UFO craft in the distance, and the UFO craft takes off at high speed.
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​This sighting was documented by Leonard Stringfield.
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