CAP-D'AIL (06) 28.07.2014

On 28 July 2014 at 21:00, a witness in Cap-d'Ail (06) observed and photographed 2 dark objects moving above the sea. When they reached a point directly overhead, he went into his apartment, then returned outside to film. GEIPAN considers straight-line flight suggestive of balloons, such as shiny helium-filled children's balloons, often Mylar, sold at fairs. The witness described brown objects, but they were backlit and would appear very dark under those conditions. An apparent splitting into 2 objects could result from perspective when 2 balloons initially lie one behind the other. A brief point of light could be sunlight reflected only at certain balloon orientations. Photographic analysis gives an angular size around 0.2°, consistent with a 70 cm object 200 m away and thus with a windborne child's balloon. Météociel records show a light, highly variable wind, also variable along the coast; see the weather record and map. GEIPAN could not confirm that the objects moved with the wind, although their motion in the video appears compatible with balloons. Without that information, GEIPAN classifies the case as C, while noting that the balloon explanation fits the observation.