ALBI (81) 02.09.2017

On 2 September 2017 at about 21:20, 2 independent witnesses 1.3 km apart in Albi (81) saw an orange ball pass silently through the sky. A few moments later a second orange light followed the same trajectory. T2 photographed the UAP before it disappeared. GEIPAN finds low strangeness and good evidential substance, with 2 independent witnesses and photographs, and considers this very probably a misidentification of 2 sky lanterns; see the investigation report. Their characteristics and T2's photographs suggest that both witnesses probably saw 2 lanterns over Albi, and it is more than probable that they saw the same ones. One witness rejected lanterns because he thought their path did not match the wind. However, the wind was highly variable. Albi station, nearest both sites, recorded west-northwesterly wind at the time; comparison of the accounts shows southeastward motion, close to what a windborne object would follow. The sighting also occurred on a Saturday evening with no rain and very light wind, ideal conditions for a lantern release. The case is classified B: probable misidentification of 2 sky lanterns.