Neon tubes and round shapes in La Reunion

Summary

In October 1981, a driver and his passenger in La Reunion observed a luminous phenomenon that caught their attention. They described an elongated shape, similar to a neon tube, with a round figure below or beside it. The object remained stationary in the sky, near the rising sun, and stayed visible for about five minutes before disappearing. Although the witnesses tried to use a theodolite to observe it more closely, they felt paralyzed and could not do anything else.

The GEIPAN reviewed this case years later and concluded that it was likely a contrail from an airplane. Atmospheric conditions and the sun's position supported this explanation. Contrails can take strange shapes, especially if there are variations in humidity and pressure. However, the witnesses' description was vague and did not fully match between the two. This, along with the lack of additional testimonies, made the conventional explanation insufficient to validate it. In the end, the case was classified as insufficient due to the lack of reliable information.