Sky Sightings Cause Fresh Interest

Press, Volume CIV, Issue 30810, 23 July 1965, Page 16

Sky Sightings Cause Fresh Interest

(N.Z. Presi Association— Copyright) NEW YORK, July 22. Some people around the world claim they are seeing more in the skies than buzzing insects and birds on the wing, says the Associated Press.

From Antarctica to England come reports of mysterious flying objects ripping through space and. in some reported cases, interfering with

electro-magnetic equipment At least five sightings outside the United States in the last two weeks remain unexplained. But a glowing object that caused a commotion from Ohio to Maryland turned out to be a runaway Navy balloon launched in Canada. What are these other objects? The U.S. Air Force, which has looked into 9127 reported sightings since 1947, says they’re usually balloons, birds, searchlights, jet exhausts—or the red and white kite sent up by the neighbour’s children. To date, the Air Force said, only 667 remain unidentified. Most of these, it said, could be explained if more information was made available. No Evidence The Air Force said its 18 years of investigation has turnel up absolutely no evidence to indicate the objects came from space. Disagreeing with the Air I

Force is Major Donald E. Keyhoe, a retired Marine Pilot who is director of the national investigations committee for aerial phenomena, in Washington. “The conclusion of the majority of our board of governors and scientific consultants is that these things must be from some advanced civilisation,” he said. Major Keyhoe said the Air Force reached the same conclusion years ago, but has a “high level policy of explaining the sightings away one way or another so as not to scare people.” Flying Start The saucer season got off to a flying start in Europe on July 7. “It was very frightening,” said Mrs Dora Horlock. who, with her husband, Harold, spotted a fiery object in the southern sky near Warminster, England. That same night in Valensole, France, Mr Mauric Masse said he saw taking off from his farm an object that resembled a large football with four metal legs. “We don’t think it was a gag,” said an official. The next day the Chilean Air Force and Argentine Navy reported that Chilean, Argentine and British staff in

Antarctica saw a lens-shaped object “Yellowish red, changing to green, yellow and orange”—that affected instruments used to measure magnetic fields. Over Portugal and the Azores on July 10 more flying things were seen. The Villa Da Porto weather station in the Azores said a glowing object appeared over Hie island and the bureau’s electro-magnetic clock stopped. On July 15 air traffic control officers and other experienced aircraft observers said they spotted a flying object glinting in the sun near the airport at Canberra. It was visible for 40 minutes. then disappeared when an Air Force plane was sent after it. Another sighting was reported last night at Weymouth, Massachusetts. Mrs Lawence Frazier said her sons, Ronald aged 20 and Robert, aged 27, saw pulsating lights spread out over the sky.”