ROCHE-CHALAIS (LA) (24) 25.06.2019

On 25 June 2019 at 00:30, a witness awoke to an outdoor humming sound, looked through an open window and saw a coloured UAP. The witness woke their partner. For 1 minute they watched a fluorescent-green oval at very low altitude with a few red lights at the rear, receding southwest. There was no time for a photograph. Only one account was collected. The unfamiliar green oval and sounds—humming, rushing air, blowing—led them to reject a helicopter (see investigation report). GEIPAN finds moderate evidential substance: two related observers, only one reporting. The description nevertheless supports a helicopter, and matching aircraft activity allows a strong assessment. An international exercise occurred about 40 km away that day with foreign special-forces aircraft, including a US CV-22 Osprey tiltrotor. Green blade-tip lights keep its rotors visible to the crew and form two apparent fluorescent-green discs when turning. People in Dignac’s temporary restricted training area also reported helicopters and a green light to the local newspaper that evening. The witnesses’ home lies between the exercise area and Mont-de-Marsan, base for exercise Athéna. The path fits a return from training to base. GEIPAN attributes the misidentification to unfamiliarity with this aircraft, rare in France, and limited media coverage of such missions. GEIPAN confirms A: military helicopter taking part in an exercise.