BUSSANG (88) 05.08.2017

Around 22:45 on Saturday 5 August 2017, witnesses leaving an evening performance at the theatre in Bussang, Vosges, saw 3 red-orange spheres apparently towards the mountain La Tête des Neufs Bois. They floated slowly eastward and made no sound. After about 2 minutes they disappeared suddenly. Only 1 account was collected. GEIPAN assessed the strangeness as very low; the witnesses were merely intrigued. See the investigation report. It notes that August and Bussang's many summer activities were conducive to sky-lantern releases, which had become part of such festivities, although required notifications were rarely made. The spheres' slow travel after apparent stillness, their number, Saturday-night timing, light wind, direction of movement and one appearing larger than the other 2 all fitted lanterns. GEIPAN classified the case A: observation of sky lanterns.