AIGUES-MORTES (30) 07.07.2021

On 7 July 2021 at 23:53, a witness watching the sky saw 2 luminous spheres moving parallel to one another above the house from west to east. One crossed the other's path. The subdued white lights moved rapidly and were visible for an estimated 5–7 seconds. Only 1 account was collected. Substantiation is moderate: a single witness, with neither photograph nor video. GEIPAN defines substantiation as the amount of reliable, objectively established information collected for an account. The source considers the rapid movement and appearance incompatible with meteorological, astronomical or space-object explanations. Wind was oriented northwest, whereas the UAPs came from the west-southwest, ruling out passive windborne objects such as balloons or sky lanterns. Investigation concluded that the witness probably saw a small group of white birds, likely gulls, silently traveling from their feeding area to their roost (see investigation report). Supporting evidence is: - The observation area near the Camargue Regional Nature Park is rich in birds, with wetlands suitable for nesting. Birds travel inland to roost in the evening, perhaps near ponds to the northeast. - Silent, straight-line movement in a small group fits gulls, which are gregarious and generally silent at night. - Distance probably prevented recognition of bird shapes or wingbeats. They might also have been gliding during the short sighting. - White plumage was visible mainly through contrast with the dark sky and residual light from Aigues-Mortes streetlights, explaining its faintly luminous appearance. The conclusion is qualified: a witness accustomed to watching the sky might have recognized birds, and favorable illumination conditions are difficult to reconstruct. GEIPAN classifies the case B: probable gull-like birds with pale underparts flying in a small formation toward their night roost.