JABLINES (77) 27.07.2014

On Sunday 27 July 2014 at about 17:30 in Jablines (77), a witness saw an airliner, then a smaller black disc travelling more slowly in the opposite direction. As it receded, the disc became oval and eventually appeared completely flattened. Only 1 account was collected. GEIPAN initially considers a backlit black object crossing the sky in a straight line over a few minutes suggestive of a windborne balloon. Météociel records show west-to-southwest wind consistent with the reported eastward travel. The source nevertheless then states that the object must have been powered: perhaps a small circular drone, such as a quadcopter, below 100 m altitude, controlled by someone at the leisure centre; a helicopter at relatively high altitude; or an aircraft as large as the first but 4 times farther away. Although compatible with the sighting, these hypotheses are almost impossible to verify. GEIPAN classifies the case C: insufficient information or corroboration. The witness initially wrote “Sunday 28 July.” Sunday was 27 July, and that day's weather, with a late-day thunderstorm, matched the description. A check with the witness confirmed Sunday 27 July.