Post by Watchman on Aug 2, 2007 13:29:53 GMT -5
MoD probes Whitehaven UFO sighting
Published on 01/08/2007
THE Ministry of Defence has given a first glimpse into Cumbria’s own ‘X-files’ on UFO sightings in the county.
Details revealed under the Freedom of Information Act show the MoD recorded four UFO sightings in north and west Cumbria since 1999.
The most recent was on September 13 last year in Whitehaven at 9.45pm. It is recorded as “a triangular object with lights. One green, one red and the other two amber. There was a strange droning noise as it passed overhead”.
Other reports from the MoD show a sighting in August 2000 at Crosby near Carlisle, where the entry reads: when it is claimed there was a “Disc shape with hump on top. Was definitely not an aeroplane. Was low down in the sky.”
And in August 1999 there wasthe previous year also saw a report from Carlisle just before 9pm of “two blue balls of light – dancing around in the sky”.
The final sighting, also in Carlisle has no date recorded. However, the spotter said the vision was of “Lucifer-like things, that are seen every day. They hold people in their homes and are a nuisance.”
Every year more than 100 UFO sightings are reported to the MoD, which are detailed in the information just published.
Although the MoD does not have any expertise in respect of UFOs, it is required to investigates every sighting in order to establish whether or not the UK’s airspace has been compromised.
The study of unidentified flying objects is known as ufology and if the reports are to be believed there were an additional five sightings in south Cumbria, plus a further record just listed as ‘Cumbria’ where 40 orange and red lights were seen in the sky.
Witnesses claim they saw a UFO in Kendal in 2005, a bright star moving around like a kite in Storth in May 2004 and circular flashing lights in Ulverston in August 1999.
Furthermore it is claimed in October 2000 there was a “bright metal star with no jet stream” in Keswick and in February the same year, two bright lights above Bowness-on-Windermere.
An MoD spokesman said: “The MoD examines reports solely to establish whether UK airspace may have been compromised by hostile or unauthorised military activity.
“If required, sighting reports are examined with the assistance of the Department’s air defence experts. Unless there is evidence of a potential threat, there is no attempt to identify the nature of each sighting reported.”
However, correspondence between the MoD and members of the public who report sightings of strange objects reveals that Whitehall officials remain “totally open-minded” about the existence of UFOs.
Details of the UFO sightings by members of the public between 1999 and 2006 were released in response to a series of Freedom of Information requests.
It comes as the MoD Prepares to publish its UFO files dating back to 1967.
The documents due for release are witness reports of apparent UFO sightings, many by civil pilots and military personnel.
It is thought most were simply collected and filed by a small, secret unit within defence intelligence, but a few were investigated further by the military.
There are 24 files due for release, each containing 200-300 reports of sightings, plus internal MoD briefings and correspondence.
Published on 01/08/2007
THE Ministry of Defence has given a first glimpse into Cumbria’s own ‘X-files’ on UFO sightings in the county.
Details revealed under the Freedom of Information Act show the MoD recorded four UFO sightings in north and west Cumbria since 1999.
The most recent was on September 13 last year in Whitehaven at 9.45pm. It is recorded as “a triangular object with lights. One green, one red and the other two amber. There was a strange droning noise as it passed overhead”.
Other reports from the MoD show a sighting in August 2000 at Crosby near Carlisle, where the entry reads: when it is claimed there was a “Disc shape with hump on top. Was definitely not an aeroplane. Was low down in the sky.”
And in August 1999 there wasthe previous year also saw a report from Carlisle just before 9pm of “two blue balls of light – dancing around in the sky”.
The final sighting, also in Carlisle has no date recorded. However, the spotter said the vision was of “Lucifer-like things, that are seen every day. They hold people in their homes and are a nuisance.”
Every year more than 100 UFO sightings are reported to the MoD, which are detailed in the information just published.
Although the MoD does not have any expertise in respect of UFOs, it is required to investigates every sighting in order to establish whether or not the UK’s airspace has been compromised.
The study of unidentified flying objects is known as ufology and if the reports are to be believed there were an additional five sightings in south Cumbria, plus a further record just listed as ‘Cumbria’ where 40 orange and red lights were seen in the sky.
Witnesses claim they saw a UFO in Kendal in 2005, a bright star moving around like a kite in Storth in May 2004 and circular flashing lights in Ulverston in August 1999.
Furthermore it is claimed in October 2000 there was a “bright metal star with no jet stream” in Keswick and in February the same year, two bright lights above Bowness-on-Windermere.
An MoD spokesman said: “The MoD examines reports solely to establish whether UK airspace may have been compromised by hostile or unauthorised military activity.
“If required, sighting reports are examined with the assistance of the Department’s air defence experts. Unless there is evidence of a potential threat, there is no attempt to identify the nature of each sighting reported.”
However, correspondence between the MoD and members of the public who report sightings of strange objects reveals that Whitehall officials remain “totally open-minded” about the existence of UFOs.
Details of the UFO sightings by members of the public between 1999 and 2006 were released in response to a series of Freedom of Information requests.
It comes as the MoD Prepares to publish its UFO files dating back to 1967.
The documents due for release are witness reports of apparent UFO sightings, many by civil pilots and military personnel.
It is thought most were simply collected and filed by a small, secret unit within defence intelligence, but a few were investigated further by the military.
There are 24 files due for release, each containing 200-300 reports of sightings, plus internal MoD briefings and correspondence.