Pons entity encounter — 1954

A regional newspaper account identifies the Pons witness only as C. A. He reportedly encountered an unusual object while travelling toward Bordeaux on a Monday morning, about 3 kilometres from Pons. A letter quoted from Sud-Ouest of 20 October 1954 supports Monday 18 October as the preferred event date. Later catalogues commonly used 21 October or other dates, apparently confusing reporting dates with the observation. The motorist described an oval or egg-shaped object, roughly 5–6 metres across, hovering near the road and settling down. Two small humanlike figures, estimated at 1.25 metres tall, emerged. They appeared startled by the witness and quickly re-entered. The object then allegedly rose vertically and accelerated away with a red trail. He estimated the sequence lasted about a minute and regretted being too surprised to take a photograph. France-Soir's 22 October story repeats the broad sequence, but neither recovered press version gives detailed facial features, clothing, equipment or an authenticated image. The anonymous reporting chain limits follow-up. The plate shows the landed phase, with the whole reported object, two minimally specified figures and motorist; it does not add the later departure trail to a grounded craft.