MANCIEULLES (54) 17.06.2012

On 17 June 2012 at 00:25, a couple in Mancieulles watched and filmed about 10 orange or red luminous balls passing silently through the sky. GEIPAN considers the sighting typical of Thai sky lanterns released on a Saturday night into Sunday morning: orange or red balls moving somewhat erratically with the local wind from southwest to northeast. It states that the video supports this explanation. The objects appear white in the recording, probably because the camcorder’s white balance was set to automatic. The witness, after seeing a lantern launch, thought lanterns moved only vertically and did not accept the explanation. An article in Le Républicain Lorrain on 30 August 2012 reported that the person responsible for the release had come forward. The case is classified A: sky lanterns.