TROUVILLE-SUR-MER (14) 16.04.2024

On 16 April 2024 at 05:09 local time, 03:09 UTC, a witness at his home in Trouville-sur-Mer (14), facing the sea northwestward, saw a luminous phenomenon apparently moving west to east. Just above the horizon and apparently very fast, it disappeared abruptly after about 15 seconds. The case has medium evidential quality because there is only 1 witness and no photograph or video. Under GEIPAN's criteria, evidential quality is the amount of information collected that is considered reliable and objectively established. GEIPAN favors a searchlight reflected on the cloud base, supported by: - A round luminous shape. - Yellow color, possible for skytracers. - Horizontal motion very low above the horizon, matching confirmed low cloud. - Very high apparent speed, consistent with rapid incidental searchlight movement. - A short duration, possible if the searchlight was briefly directed skyward unintentionally. The lack of a visible beam is explained by the combination of very low elevation, short duration and exceptionally clear air with few suspended particles to scatter the light. Calculations suggest that the searchlight was probably aboard an offshore vessel, but its precise origin could not be established (see investigation report). GEIPAN classifies the case B: probable skytracer sighting.