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14 Mind-Blowing UFO "Sightings" Reported by Credible Witnesses

Amid claims about a secretive UFO retrieval program, we round up the sightings

In June of this month, former U.S. Air Force officer and intelligence official David Grusch made astonishing claims about a secretive UFO retrieval program and concealed classified information. Grusch filed a complaint, seeking to present this information to the U.S. Senate Select Committee on Intelligence, alleging retaliation for a previous complaint he made in 2021. The House Oversight Committee announced plans to investigate, triggering a global discussion on unidentified aerial phenomena.

Grusch asserted that the U.S. government possessed non-human spacecraft, pilot corpses, and had covered up incidents like Roswell, including the alleged killing of American citizens. The U.S. Department of Defense and NASA denied these claims, stating a lack of evidence. Public reactions varied, with skeptics dismissing the assertions as unsubstantiated and others demanding government transparency. In light of these developments, we explore 20 mind-blowing UFO sightings reported by credible witnesses, continuing to challenge our understanding of the unexplained.

FOX News

In 1997, thousands of witnesses in Arizona reported a massive triangular formation of lights moving silently across the sky, captivating the entire city of Phoenix.

SKEPTICS SAY: Some skeptics argue that the Phoenix Lights were simply flares dropped during a military exercise, although this explanation is contested by many witnesses who insist that what they saw was not flares.

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In December 1980, multiple U.S. military personnel stationed at RAF Bentwaters in England witnessed a series of UFO encounters over a span of three nights, leaving them bewildered and perplexed.

SKEPTICS SAY: Skeptics suggest that the sightings in Rendlesham Forest were likely the result of misinterpretations of mundane objects such as lights from nearby lighthouses and the Orford Ness lighthouse.

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The infamous 1947 event in Roswell, New Mexico, where witnesses claimed to have seen a crashed UFO and recovered extraterrestrial bodies, fueling decades of conspiracy theories and speculation.

SKEPTICS SAY: Skeptics argue that what crashed in Roswell was likely a top-secret military balloon used for classified purposes, known as Project Mogul, and the recovered bodies were likely human test dummies used in high-altitude experiments.

SvenPiper/YouTube

In 1989-1990, numerous witnesses, including police officers and military personnel, reported sightings of large triangular UFOs hovering silently over Belgium, prompting an extensive investigation.

SKEPTICS SAY: Skeptics propose that the Belgian UFO wave could have been a result of misidentifications of conventional aircraft, such as stealth bombers or experimental military aircraft, combined with a wave of mass hysteria and media sensationalism.

KLBK

In 1951, residents of Lubbock, Texas, observed a formation of bright, glowing lights flying in a V-shaped pattern across the night sky, leaving witnesses puzzled and authorities scrambling for explanations.

SKEPTICS SAY: Some skeptics suggest that the Lubbock Lights were likely a natural phenomenon known as "meteors or meteoric fireballs," which can sometimes appear as a group of lights moving in formation.

7News

In 1966, hundreds of students and teachers at a school in Westall, Australia, witnessed a UFO landing in a nearby field, leading to a flurry of speculation.

SKEPTICS SAY: Skeptics argue that the Westall Incident was most likely a misidentification of a weather balloon or a research balloon released from a nearby facility.

History Channel

In 1976, Iranian fighter pilots encountered a brightly lit object performing remarkable maneuvers, displaying advanced capabilities beyond known aircraft, initiating a chase that ended in a malfunction of the jets' systems.

SKEPTICS SAY: Some skeptics contend that the Tehran UFO incident could have been caused by a misinterpretation of celestial objects or atmospheric phenomena, such as a combination of stars, planets, and atmospheric distortion.

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In 1942, during World War II, an unidentified object was sighted over Los Angeles, resulting in a massive anti-aircraft artillery barrage and sparking fears of a Japanese attack, despite no solid evidence being found.

SKEPTICS SAY: Skeptics argue that the Battle of Los Angeles was likely a case of war nerves and misidentification of weather balloons or natural phenomena, compounded by the heightened tensions and anxiety during the wartime period.

KOIN

In 1950, a farmer in McMinnville, Oregon, captured two clear photographs of a metallic, disc-shaped object hovering above his property, which remain among the most famous and debated UFO images.

SKEPTICS SAY: Some skeptics claim that the McMinnville UFO photographs could have been a hoax or a misidentified conventional object such as a weather balloon or a small aircraft.

Shutterstock

In 2008, pilots, air traffic controllers, and military personnel witnessed a series of inexplicable lights in the sky near Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport, prompting official investigations and speculation.

SKEPTICS SAY: Skeptics suggest that the Phoenix Airport incident could be attributed to misperceptions of conventional aircraft, atmospheric phenomena, or the misinterpretation of lights from nearby sources, such as reflection or glare.

EyesOnCinema/YouTube

In 1964, police officer Lonnie Zamora witnessed an egg-shaped craft land in Socorro, New Mexico, and saw two humanoid figures nearby, marking one of the most credible and thoroughly investigated cases in UFO lore.

SKEPTICS SAY: Skeptics assert that the Socorro UFO landing was likely a case of misperception, and the craft observed could have been a conventional vehicle or a terrestrial experimental prototype.

Tom Owens/YouTube

In 1980, Betty Cash, Vickie Landrum, and Colby Landrum witnessed a massive, diamond-shaped object emitting flames and hovering above the road in Texas. The encounter resulted in severe health effects, raising concerns about potential radiation exposure.

SKEPTICS SAY: Skeptics argue that the Cash-Landrum incident could be attributed to a misidentified conventional aircraft, such as a military helicopter, and the health effects experienced could have been caused by other factors unrelated to the object.

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In 1986, a Japanese Airlines cargo flight crew reported a massive unidentified object flying alongside their aircraft over Alaska. The UFO appeared on the radar and was witnessed by experienced pilots, leaving them astonished and perplexed.

SKEPTICS SAY: Some skeptics propose that the JAL Flight 1628 incident could have been a result of a misinterpretation of natural atmospheric phenomena or a misidentified conventional aircraft, despite the radar and eyewitness accounts.

National Geographic/YouTube

In 2008, residents of Stephenville, Texas, witnessed a series of bright lights moving in a manner defying conventional aircraft capabilities. Multiple witnesses, including law enforcement officers, reported the incident, sparking intense public interest.

SKEPTICS SAY: Skeptics suggest that the Stephenville Lights were likely the result of misidentified aircraft, such as military training exercises or experimental aircraft, combined with optical illusions and psychological factors that can influence perception and interpretation of unusual events.  These UFO sightings have captured the attention and curiosity of people worldwide, but skeptics and experts offer alternative explanations to challenge the extraterrestrial hypothesis. While the debate continues, further investigation and scientific scrutiny remain crucial in uncovering the truth behind these intriguing encounters.

Alek Korab
Alek Korab is Founding Editor of Body Network Read more
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