CIVRAC-DE-BLAYE (33) 23.12.2024

On 23 December 2024 at about 20:30, a witness left the kitchen to call a female dog that was barking intensely and refusing to come in, unlike the other dogs already indoors. Looking up, the witness saw 2 red forms approaching slowly. A stopped above a field while B moved gently away, then returned to A after an unspecified interval. Both remained stationary and silent. After calming the dog, the witness switched off the outside lights to take 2 photographs. B then moved away, followed by A; they drew together, appeared to merge and quickly disappeared. The witness was strongly affected and reported cold weather with no visible stars, while attention remained focused on the slowly moving luminous objects. GEIPAN judged the evidence moderate, with 1 witness. The 2 supplied photographs lacked their original files and technical data, limiting analysis and the additional support they could provide. GEIPAN defines evidential support as the amount of information collected for an account that is considered reliable and objectively established. Of 4 hypotheses explored, only sky lanterns proved sufficiently convincing against the account and images (see the investigation report). GEIPAN cited round shapes; red colour, compatible although lanterns are more commonly described as orange; movement consistent with light wind; a possible trial release before a larger Christmas Eve release; and a duration compatible with lantern lifetimes. The apparent merger could be 2 lanterns aligning along the same line of sight. Their disappearance was interpreted as being carried into a stronger air current. Image-processing analysis could not produce a useful result from the non-original photographs. The witness did not respond to a renewed request for the originals. GEIPAN classified the case B: probable sky lanterns.