Maizieres-les-Metz 2011, Luminous Balls in the Sky

Summary

On October 1, 2011, around 10:30 PM, several witnesses in Maizieres-les-Metz (Moselle, France) observed yellow-orange glowing objects moving silently across the sky. One of them recorded a video using their mobile phone, which allowed for an analysis of the movement of the luminous points. Although these objects moved slightly relative to each other, it was not possible to link their trajectory to the wind of the day, which changed direction frequently.

Despite the inability to rule out other explanations, GEIPAN investigators concluded that the most likely scenario was the presence of Thai lanterns. The appearance of the footage, the witnesses' accounts, and the context of a Saturday night all support this hypothesis. However, no search for the launch site was conducted, as there are too many possibilities in peri-urban areas. Therefore, the case was classified as "B," meaning it is likely a passage of Thai lanterns.