The Giant Objects of Alderney
The account
A commercial pilot saw two enormous yellow objects over the sea, also spotted by another pilot and by radar.
What investigators found
An independent analysis considered hypotheses such as atmospheric phenomena and reflections, but reached no definitive conclusion.
The story
On April 23, 2007, Captain Ray Bowyer was flying a small Aurigny passenger plane toward the island of Alderney, in the English Channel, when he saw in the distance a bright, elongated yellow object, and then a second, similar object. He reported the sighting to Jersey air traffic control, and passengers also saw the lights.
The pilot of another aircraft in the area reported something similar, and there were radar returns that some researchers associate with the case. A group of British investigators studied the data and considered several explanations, such as sun reflections, atmospheric phenomena and ships, without being able to close the case. Because it involved experienced pilots and controlled airspace, the episode is seen as one of the best documented in Europe.