VILLEFRANCHE-SUR-MER (06) 25.11.2024

On 25 November 2024 at 19:01, a witness at home in Villefranche-sur-Mer (Alpes-Maritimes) noticed an unusual light phenomenon to the east-northeast. He saw 5–10 white circular shapes moving in a circle before disappearing after 5 minutes. The phenomenon’s origin initially remained to be determined. GEIPAN rates the evidential support as good: although there was only 1 witness, he recorded a video. In GEIPAN’s terminology, evidential support is the amount of reliable, objectively established information collected for an account. Analysis of the video and account indicates that the phenomenon very probably consisted of ground-based searchlights aimed skyward, their beams interacting with low cloud. The stratocumulus layer, at about 2,000 m altitude, is clearly visible in the recording, as corroborated by the witness and Météo-France cloud-cover data (Appendix 1). Such searchlights, commonly called skytrackers, are frequently used for entertainment or promotional events. The investigation established that, at the exact time and in the reported direction, about 9.5 km away, a show called ‘stand up Monaco’ was starting at Monaco’s Grimaldi Forum (Appendices 2 and 3). Although no information could be obtained confirming outdoor searchlight use, this explanation remains plausible and consistent with the phenomenon’s appearance and position. GEIPAN classifies the case B: probable observation of skytrackers.