UFO in Calais 1981, a re-examined case

Summary

In January 1981, three witnesses at a retirement home in Calais observed a luminous elongated object moving rapidly from east to west. The object, reddish and yellowish in color, made no noise and was visible for 3 to 4 minutes, often hidden by clouds. Two of the witnesses had even seen a similar phenomenon the day before. Although initially classified as unexplained, the GEIPAN re-examined the case with new methods and accumulated experience. They concluded that the object could be a condensation trail from an aircraft flying at high altitude, illuminated by the rising sun. This type of phenomenon is common under similar conditions, especially at dawn or dusk, when the sun is low on the horizon.

The case was re-analyzed by the GEIPAN, which concluded that the observed object was likely a condensation trail from an aircraft. The characteristics described by the witnesses, such as the reddish color, elongated shape, and silent movement, match those of aircraft contrails at high altitude. Although the witnesses did not see the aircraft itself, this is common as the aircraft may be very far away or not visible. Additionally, the description of "two white trails" before the object disappeared supports this explanation. Although the specific aircraft cannot be identified, the location and atmospheric conditions are compatible with a flight in the area. The GEIPAN updated the case classification to B, indicating that it is a probable observation of aircraft contrails.