PONT-AUDEMER (27) 12.06.2013

On 12 June 2013 at 22:59, a witness in Pont-Audemer saw an orange luminous disk move silently across the sky and disappear into cloud. GEIPAN considers the light's appearance and movement strongly suggestive of a sky lantern. The witness said he had seen others on previous occasions, in groups resembling a constellation. The source notes that sky lanterns are rarely observed on weekdays. However, a person who rents out a reception venue in the area said releases are very common at weddings and that trial releases take place during the week. GEIPAN suggests this single lantern may have been a test. The southerly wind recorded by Météociel at Rouen does not quite match the northwestward movement reported by the witness. The local terrain, where the Risle runs beside a steep slope, could nevertheless produce local low-altitude winds. GEIPAN classifies the case as B: a probable sighting of a sky lantern.