TORPES (25), THEY-SOUS-MONTFORT (88) 15.02.2019

The narrative dates the observations to the morning of 19 February 2019, whereas the case title gives 15 February. Several independent witnesses saw circular, bright UAPs moving slowly and silently, taking photographs or videos. GEIPAN collected 2 accounts, while other northeastern French residents apparently saw the phenomenon. Descriptions of 1, sometimes 2, bright white balls apparently stationary or moving very slowly and steadily suggest windborne objects (see investigation report). The Ballon Concept Challenge 2019 was a hot-air-balloon competition starting in Switzerland, whose aim was to travel as far as possible from the launch site. The fleet dispersed northward over Franche-Comté and Lorraine, with the best performers reaching Germany. Substantiation is maximal: 2 fully independent accounts, besides those known outside GEIPAN, each concern observations exceeding 15 minutes. Several witnesses watched for about 20 minutes in good visibility, photographing and filming repeatedly. The apparent absence of a basket and the ball shape seemed strange, but all evidence supports balloons. The expanded investigation precisely identified their origin, leaving no unexplained peculiarity. Their unusually high altitude probably made recognition difficult, especially as their metallic-looking surfaces strongly reflected the Sun. Both sightings are identified as a particular double-walled type of hot-air balloon participating in the third Ballon Concept Challenge. The 2 witnesses initiating the inquiry photographed or filmed what they saw and promptly reported it, 1 to the gendarmerie and the other to GEIPAN. GEIPAN classifies the case A: fully identified hot-air-balloon observations.