PORT-GENTIL (GA.8) 01.06.1952

At 2:40 a.m. on June 1, 1952, aboard a ship anchored off Port-Gentil, Gabon, the chief officer reported a luminous object arriving from inland. He said it stopped, turned right and resumed its original course twice, with the second turn above the ship. He telephoned the captain, who watched through binoculars for about three minutes. The captain described a very bright, phosphorescent orange circle travelling rapidly on a broadly straight course before he lost sight of it. The captain submitted the report. A drawing of uncertain authorship survives, but no further testimony was collected. Meteor and missile hypotheses were considered without being established. GEIPAN classified the case D.