Cergy-Pontoise 1979, the media case of the fake disappearance

Summary

In November 1979, Cergy-Pontoise became the scene of one of France's most publicized UFO cases. Three witnesses claimed their friend had vanished after being enveloped by a light accompanied by fog and flashing. Police responded, but the witnesses' accounts varied and contradicted each other. The press seized on the story, and the protagonists showed clear interest in media attention.

The GEPAN investigation was hampered because the witnesses avoided providing concrete information, preferring to talk to journalists. Their statements shifted over time, and subsequent analyses — blood, vegetation — did not support the accounts. The missing person reappeared days later without providing evidence. GEPAN concluded the case was a hoax, though none of those involved ever retracted their claims.