CAMPHIN-EN-CAREMBAULT (59) 05.10.2016

At sunrise on 5 October 2016, a witness in Camphin-en-Carembault (59) saw 3 stationary black points draw together into a conical shape. After that disappeared, an elongated white form appeared and remained visible and stationary until 11:30. He took photographs. No additional accounts were collected. The attached investigation report favoured an isolated group of 3 migrating birds travelling southeast. Poor optics and distance prevented the witness from seeing their shapes clearly. GEIPAN assessed the account as weakly supported: little usable information was supplied, the questionnaire was not completed and the gendarmerie statement was very brief. There were 15 photographs, but only a few original files were provided and could be analysed. Image processing, particularly comparison across images taken at different times using IPACO, strengthened the bird explanation despite the initially poor image quality. GEIPAN classified the case A: extremely probable observation of 3 migrating birds heading southeast, their shapes obscured by distance and poor optics. The source's conclusion does not separately explain the later stationary white form.