When is a Drone Not a Drone? (Petten, Holland, 2007)

PLEASE NOTE : For reasons which will quickly become apparent I refer to the Petten, Holland object as a, “Drone” purely because this is how it is being referred to in the course of being perpetuated across the internet and will ultimately enable ease of access for SE's/reference purposes.

I personally do NOT believe this object is related to the 2007 Californian Drone Hoax in any way shape or form (and I am apparently in the minority) but for what it's worth I believe that the witness of this recent (Petten, Holland) object is sincere and has shared the circumstances surrounding the sighting to the best of his recollection.

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It was first reported by BJ Booth at the UFO Casebook on 12th April (2009) with the following title and message:

Drone-Like UFO Photographed in Holland, 2007

Petten, Holland, September, 2007

I was fishing with my wife, when I noticed something in the sky. I could not see what it was, because off in the distance we saw it as a black spot.

Altitude was about 300 meters. I took my camera, Nikon D50 and had a 300 mm lens on it. I just shot some pics (about 12), so I could see it on the computer.

It stayed for about half an hour, and then it disappeared (we didn't see it flying away). Photograph was taken in Holland, near Petten, on September 8, 2007.

regards,

Source: UFOCasebook Front Page

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This was then followed up on the 14th April (2009) with another two photographs then after further contact with the witness the full thirteen images were released at UFOCasebook as a zip file.

It was in this third posting that BJ Booth also wrote:

“I had a phone conversation with Linda Moulton Howe this afternoon, and we are collaborating on the research and information gathering aspect of the Holland drone-like photographs... more info will be coming soon. thanks again.”

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To be honest my (and many others) initial thought was that it was a kite of some description, this was just from the first release which contained just the one image, this seemed to be further confirmed by the second release of two images. And when the full sequence of (13) images were all released in their entirety this further confirmed that we were indeed looking at the motion very similar to that of a kite:

Animation Of Petten UFO

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Where's Waldof?!

The witness joined the UFOCasebook forum after the first image was released (April 13 th 2009) and was a willing participant in the discussion elaborating and answering more questions regarding his experience, his user name was/is *Ruud*.

Below are some of the kites located which were of a similar structure to the object that was photographed in Petten, Holland.

Here's an overlay courtesy of UFOCasebook forum member Marvin.

All of the above were posted to the Casebook thread on or before the 16th April (2009).

Most are from the following link which also describes how you can even construct your own Waldof kite!! (Source)

Also, as well as a multitude of similar kites being found a couple of kite forums were contacted in the process of trying to positively identify the object as a kite, here's the first reply to the question on the kitebuilder.com forum.

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Hate to disappoint anyone but .....

I got no hesitation, that is a kite

Moves like a kite, looks like a kite..it's a kite.

I reckon you even named it. A Waldorf [*Edit: SP – Waldof] Box (or Variant)

pic courtesy of Kite plan base

Any of our guys want to own up

BTW, some of your guys saying about reported lack of wind.

Bare[sic] in mind, skies like that, on a beach, very unlikely to be zero wind.

May have been light, witness/photographer may have been in wind shadow from dunes or the like but I wouldn't belive[sic] zero wind.

Also, most non kite flyers underestimated the amount of wind needed to fly a well built and suitable kite. The Waldorf will fly in 10mph winds happily..... and stronger winds would be likely at 300m

Most people reckon 10mph is nothing, especially if they are sheltered.

It's also quite normal for wind to be selective, stronger in one place then another close by...ask any sailor or kite flyer

Source: Kitebuilder.com

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I expressed my concern and disappointment at the time that this particular sighting was being associated with the Drones at all, irrespective of whether this was merely an aesthetic similarity or not. Mainly because I suspected it would (and now has) become inextricably linked to the original California Drones of 2007 which are widely recognised and accepted as an internet hoax, I also suspected that as a result of this vague marrying of rings and appendages the recent Petten image would be classified as ‘ guilty by association ' and wouldn't receive a fraction of the attention and analysis that the original Drone images had.

Well, I was also apprehensive of myself and others being too eager at drawing parallels with the Drones as I can still remember –with some clarity- the circus atmosphere that surrounded the Drone debacle once a couple of Ufology's ‘bigger' and more media-friendly players caught scent of a story. It was an atmosphere reminiscent of ‘old –school' Ufology with the one-upmanship mentality, ad-hominem attacks and refusal to co-operate. As a matter of fact Linda Moulton Howe (LMH) of the Earthfiles website still believes that she is perfectly justified in withholding vital evidence in the form of eleven high-resolution photographs (part of a set of twelve) which she was trusted to share in their entirety from one of the original five Drone witnesses, but I've wrote about this a couple of times prior so rather than rehash it again it can still be viewed online by visiting here.

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Regarding the Drone association BJ Booth has since stated (April 15th 2009) that:

“I never asked him [the witness] about the drones. It was I who first used the phrase, "drone-like" simply because that was the first thing that came to mind. What should I have called it?

(snip)

I do not know what it [Petten object] is, and I have never said what it is.”

Source: BJ Booth - UFOCasebook Forum

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So it's clear to see that this link to the Drones was nothing more than a familiar phrase used to describe an otherwise difficult to explain shape and the heading of the UFOCasebook page in question even states that the object was “Drone- like” rather than a Drone.

Then in the early hours of the 17th April the witness (Ruud) wrote the following (please bear in mind that English is his second language and I've posted the comment exactly as it was originally posted):

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Personaly I didn't made a link to a drone. I thougt drones were much bigger and much more suffisticated.

More alien so to speak. (fake or not)

I never heard about woldof kites, now I know there is a variaty of kites in al kind of shapes (impressive).

I have no benefit what so ever of posting those pics, (only that my English is updated).

I like to watch the sky, especially at night.

I don't believe in god, I have seen lots of meteorites, sattelites speeding through the space. I have seen UFO balloons. (Thai balloons). I have seen Skylab and the ISS.

I have also seen the Hayley comet (with the tail).

I am just a sober guy from Holland wich could not explain something I took pictures of.

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LMH Strikes Again

And later on the 17th April and Earthfiles (after gaining access to the witness) writes a piece with the headline of:

Spider-Like “Drone” Photographed Over Petten, Holland.

Did you notice the less-than subtle difference between UFOCasebook's title?

UFOCasebook called it a “Drone-like UFO” while LMH (Earthfiles.com) removed the possibility of a UFO completely and called it a “Spider-like Drone”.

Then LMH writes:

“No other 2007 photographs of the mysterious “drones” emerged - until now…..So now, I am adding another line to the chronological list of eyewitnesses:”

This should surely raise questions about the investigative prowess of LMH in all persons, from the casual reader to the hardened ‘nuts & bolts' Ufologist.

As apart from the fact that the witness has stated prior that it in no way reminded him of a Drone LMH steamrollers over his opinion and classifies it 100% as a “Drone,” still, no real surprises there as “Drones” with a great deal worse defining criteria have qualified for LMH's –already laughable- list of “Drone-witnesses”.

When actually asked about the Drones by LMH Ruud stated that he wasn't really aware of them prior but was surprised that while his report was classed as a “Drone” people believed he was being less than truthful, this was due solely to the fact that everyone except LMH and a couple of hardcore Drone believers now accept that the 2007 California Drones were a deliberate internet hoax.

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When Is A Kite Not A Kite?

In a thinly veiled attempting to justify this she states that:

“THAT WAS APPARENTLY PROVOKED BY SOME CALCULATED MISINFORMATION CAMPAIGN BY PEOPLE UNKNOWN IN 2007 TRYING TO PAINT THE PHOTOS THAT EMERGED AS BEING HOAXED.”

I had to re-read it a couple of times!!

Firstly, apart from the fact that LMH completely ignored the fact that 2007 Drones were analysed and found to be CGI by every single specialist who took the time, some of whom are industry recognised professionals and I hasten to add these are not ‘debunkers' by any stretch of the imagination as they are also believers and/or have first hand experience of the nuts & bolts UFO phenomenon.

Secondly the entire Petten Drone/kite are and the full article by LMH is basically turning a kite into a Drone and then it climaxes with unknown persons waging a “MISINFORMATION CAMPAIGN ”!!

Still, I suppose she is the expert…..

Anyway, after the interview was published with Ruud, he wrote:

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“I have no intention my pictures going around knowing as an hoax.

I hate hoaxes.

I have seen pics of that phony thing you are calling a drone all speaking about that it is an hoax.

It never had my interest because it looked so unreal.

Also there is no resemblence with the pics I took.”

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And for what it's worth here was my reply (to Ruud):

Regarding the Drones I agree with you and this is why I was keen to disassociate your report from them by posting to another board and when that failed by creating a new thread in the Drone section. However your report is destined to eternally be labelled as a “Drone” due almost exclusively to the portrayal of you and your account at Earthfiles.

I'm sure you can appreciate it's now a ‘done-deal' and you're a “Drone-witness” as far as LMH is concerned and what's good enough for her is good enough for die-hard Dronies the world over, as they all seem to classify and claim LMH's word as beyond reproach. But take heart because at least after this latest debacle a few more people have had their eyes opened to the media entrepreneur that is LMH, and hopefully also to her subscriber/ratings orientated method of investigative ‘scientific' reporting…..

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I am however still pleased that LMH conducted the interview in her usual manner. I say this because as this time she wasn't the first port-of-call for the witness, it meant that she wasn't reporting on a sighting, witness & images that only she had exclusive access to (which was often the case with the original Drone reports).

So in my humble opinion and albeit inadvertently she's done us all a favour by once again reminding us of why the moniker of ‘story-teller' is infinitely more applicable than that of ‘investigative reporter' or a ‘scientific consultant' (which C2C touts her as when she appears on their show).

In short I believe that the 'kite' possibility at least warranted a mention, and certainly more than the inclusion of the report in the "Original Drone Timeline" did, but hey, what do I know.....

Possible Explanation For Flintshire UFO?

Firstly, I'll admit that I haven't researched the new(ish) Flintshire UFO story in the slightest and so the following is no more than conjecture and certainly not the 'concrete' evidence that the Flintshire mayor is searching for, but if you'll indulge me.....

After reading several accounts which appeared across the internet I was instantly reminded of an earlier UFO report (with images) that I researched quite a while ago.

Here are some (edited) images of the US UFO report.

3 images cropped and pasted together.

The report originated in the US and was reminiscent of the, “Cigar” like UFOs that are occasionally witnessed and reported, except of course that this particular object although it appeared structured didn't seem to resemble any of the earlier reports which were made regarding the classic cigar UFO.

Here's what I (and others) believed the object to be:

Regarding this recent Flintshire UFO report then as I said, I really haven't researched it in any detail whatsoever and subsequently I'm unable to make an informed decision, but…..

If I had to hazard a guess then it would be that the object was a solar balloon which are surprisingly easy to make and also relatively cheap to buy in kits. (Of course it may not have been the XXXXL model!!)

Anyway here are the two main articles from the website of the local newspaper:

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Flintshire mayor calls for witnesses after seeing 'pipe-like' UFO.

UFO sightings over North Wales

Flint mayor, Terry Renshaw, is asking if anybody else saw a flying ‘ pipe-like ' object in the sky above Flintshire. Flint 's town mayor is seeking witnesses after spotting a mysterious 'pipe-like' object in the sky. Flint mayor Terry Renshaw was making lunch at his home in Bagillt at about 1.30pm on Saturday, when he noticed a strange pipe-like object flying through the air.

"I thought at first that it was a plane trailing a big streamer behind it, but then I realised it was something else…..It looked like a big, flexible aluminium pipe and it was travelling very fast, with no sound…..I took a picture of it on my camera and carried on watching it for a bit and then it disappeared, behind what I thought was a cloud, but there were no clouds…..I then looked at the picture on my camera but there was nothing there – just a clear blue sky."

However, the sighting is not the first unusual object to be spotted in Flintshire's skies in recent months as during the Christmas and New Year period, dozens of residents reported seeing a series of strange orange lights travelling quickly across the sky. So far, no-one has been able to offer a concrete explanation as to exactly what these objects were and following this latest sighting, Cllr Renshaw is looking for anyone in the area who may have noticed something similar, adding:

"I have contacted the UFO Society to see if it has received any similar reports, but I have not heard anything from them yet…..I would be really interested to know if anyone in Flintshire spotted the same thing."

Did you see the object in the sky? Let us know by leaving a comment below or emailing digitalnews@nwn.co.uk

Source: Evening Leader Wrexham (Published: 02 Oct 2008)

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Flint mayor's UFO sighting verified by other spotters

A town mayor's sighting of a mysterious object in the sky has prompted other Flintshire residents to speak out about their own strange experiences. Flint mayor Terry Renshaw claims he spotted a strange 'pipe-like' object travelling silently in the sky above his home, at about 1.30pm on Saturday, September 27.

He contacted the Evening Leader to ask if anyone else in North Wales had seen something similar and as well as attracting interest from an American citizen, who reported seeing the same object near his house in Vermont, Cllr Renshaw's revelations match sightings from two other Flintshire residents.

Gwyneth Davies, of Buckley, said:

"I saw the object Cllr Renshaw saw in the sky at lunchtime that day….."I thought it was an odd shape to be a plane and it was so silent…..It was tubular shaped, and I was going to mention it to my husband, then the phone rang and I came in from the garden…..It was only after reading about his sighting that I remembered about it."

Another reader added:

"Whilst travelling to work Corus on October 5, at about 6.15pm, I looked towards Bagillt and noticed a large, shiny, tube-like object in the clear blue sky, which did not seem to be moving…..As I arrived at work, I mentioned this to other work mates, who looked towards Flint and the object was still visible."

Source: Evening Leader Wrexham (Published: 15 Oct 2008)

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If I was looking for explanations then a solar balloon would have to be satisfactorily dismissed before any more ‘exotic’ explanations were considered, especially when reading the above descriptions.

Alleged Irish Footage Posted To Internet Is Fake

I was a little surprised to see that REALUFOS.net Blog posted the following (7th Oct 2008).

The stunning irish triangle ufo video (Tuesday, October 07 2008)

This is the apparent Irish triangle Ufo i recently posted about. The footage was seen at the irish ufo conference and was filmed by senior garda pilot and witnessed by a Fianna Fail (irish) politician. If its a CGi its well done, if anyone knows anymore about the footage please reply to this post.

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Unfortunately I can say categorically that this particular video is undoubtedly a fake. I posted the following comment/question that has yet to be answered (as are any comments):

“What information do you have access to that suggests it's the Irish conference footage?

As (unfortunately) if you check the comment posted with the video it says:

“This is a video was on a cheap camera I found when Hiking in the Smokey Mountains . This is all that was on it.”

I assume(d) that the, “Smokey mountains” in question were of the Appalachian variety (rather than Irish)……

Also according to the latest article in the Meath chronicle then there were four triangles visible suggesting it was indeed a collection of point light sources rather than structured objects.

Are you relying solely on the various YouTube comments to establish this is the correct video?”

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The above video which was alleged to be the Irish footage and is being perpetuated as such is 100% verifiable man-made competition entry. It was made by someone called Jeff Wilson, the following is an excerpt from the ‘HoaxResearchCenter' website:

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Speaking of Strange UFO Experience

Last year's winner, and 3-year champion, Jeff Wilson, created a triangular helium-lifted craft, remote controlled, with multiple stages. He was able to scan the audience with a laser, release smoke to enshroud his creation, and even switch the craft's lighting structure instantly, producing the illusion of a different object.

For more information on the “Speaking of Strange UFO Experience” visit http://www.hoaxresearchcenter.com/.

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(1) Recent alleged Irish UFO footage.
(2) Jeff Wilson 2006 man-made UFO in flight.
(3) Jeff Wilson 2006 man-made UFO display.

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While the images of the toy UFO created by Jeff Wilson that can be found on their website are certainly similar it's not the exact same one BUT that's because it's the 2006 craft, however if we have a look at some of the footage from the 2007 competition….. (The relevant section is around the 3:30 mark).

As you can see the exact same footage WITH original audio.

For links to video clips of all the other competition footage then please visit L.E.M.U.R. forums here, it also includes 2008 footage in which Jeff only managed 2nd place losing out to what was titled in the subsequent press release as:

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" Phoenix Lights" UFO Effect Recreated for $25 at Contest

Second Place went to Jeff Wilson, the 3-year First Place Winner since the events inception, in 2005. Wilson is also the first UFO champion to go on Coast to Coast AM, briefly interviewed along with Joshua P. Warren on August 19, 2008. Jeff's initial plans went awry when there were unexpected problems with his main entry, so he had to compete by entering a secondary craft, far less elaborate than his original. Jeff's unexpected problem was echoed by the new champion, Jim, since Jim's grand finale, a huge balloon with multiple-stage effects, also had to be cancelled at the last minute due to a frame break that could not be easily repaired. This is a great example of the significant technical challenges these talented engineers face, and illustrates the difficulty in faking some of the extreme UFO sightings reported throughout history.

‘It blew everyone away,' said event organizer Joshua P. Warren. ‘This is a valuable piece of data for anyone interested in analyzing UFO imagery. It's a great example of how studying a fake can help us analyze the real thing.'

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The above release is available to read at the L.E.M.U.R. forums where it was originally posted on the 6th October (2008).

Irish Conference Footage - Shown Today!! (11-Oct-08)

Video footage of the Triangle UFO will be shown at:
Dublin Paranormal Convention,
(Saturday 11th October 2008 - Clontarf Castle)

The original article posted by the Irish Independent read as follows:

“THE truth is out there -- and if a senior garda, a Fianna Fail politician and a pilot are to be believed, aliens are keeping a close eye on us from above. Dramatic eye-witness testimony was heard at a conference over the weekend which, delegates were told, provided "definitive" proof of recent UFO activity in the skies around north Dublin and Meath. Footage, filmed on a camera phone at 10.35pm on August 3 near Dunboyne was also played and replayed to over 70 delegates who attended the fifth Irish International UFO conference in Carrick-on-Shannon.

The triangular shaped image, with lights at each point, which appeared to send a red laser-type light towards earth, drew gasps of amazement from the 70 or so delegates who attended the world premiere of the footage. A senior garda officer who was driving when he noticed the unusual light formation in the sky stopped to film it.

And some reported quotes by Carl Nally:

"This is what the sceptics are crying out for. What all this footage has in common is that trained observers, honest people, took it. What better could you get than a senior garda, a politician and a pilot…. There is no footage like this in the world. It is the most amazing and spectacular I have ever seen."

As it's not immediately apparent I should point out that:

“THE truth is out there -- and if a senior garda, a Fianna Fail politician and a pilot are to be believed, aliens are keeping a close eye on us from above”

& “What better could you get than a senior garda, a politician and a pilot….”

Is a little misleading as both articles are in fact referencing three individual and otherwise unrelated UFO reports from three entirely different witnesses.

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Dunboyne UFOs Solved?

After I first wrote about the Dunboyne UFO -and by quoting from the above article- a message was left on the Blog post by someone named Andrea Mulligan (6 th October 2008). Andrea had held her wedding reception at the Dunboyne Castle Hotel on the 3 rd August 2008, which is the same evening that -also in Dunboyne- the UFO footage was recorded.

Andrea contacted me again and answered several questions I had regarding the lantern release.

Approximately 20 sky lanterns were released; the releases were staggered over 30-45 minutes starting from about 10.30pm. The reason for the varying release times is due to the amount of time taken to light the lanterns and to wait for the hot air to collect in order for them to rise. Andrea also noted that because of this factor then sometimes this was in bunches of three or four and other times it was only possible to release them at five minute intervals. Andrea also said that the movement was consistent and “reasonably smoothly.”

I also received confirmation from the events manager at the Dunboyne Castle Hotel

(Melanie Euler) who confirmed that lanterns were indeed released by a wedding party on the 3rd August and that this occurred between 10 & 11pm.

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After receiving these swift responses I then emailed Carl Nally, the co-founder of UFO and Paranormal Research Ireland whom had previously been quoted as saying that this particular camera phone footage was:

“The best film of a UFO ever filmed in Ireland and perhaps some of the best footage ever captured worldwide."

I asked if he was aware of this possible identification and had he applied this knowledge when evaluating the footage. Also by now there were two conflicting reports (surprise, surprise) in the media as to what could actually be seen in the footage.

Firstly the Irish Independent said:

“The triangular shaped image, with lights at each point, which appeared to send a red laser-type light towards earth, drew gasps of amazement from the 70 or so delegates who attended the world premiere of the footage.”

And then the Meath Chronicle wrote:

“There were worldwide reports of four triangular UFOs being spotted in the skies over Dunboyne at 10.45pm on 3rd August, the date of Andrea and Lynden's wedding.”

So I asked Carl Nally how many ‘triangles' are visible and did he recall how many lights in total could be seen. I also asked a couple of other simple questions such as do the lights appear the same size, do they move in a discernible direction and could he divulge the approximate locale from where this footage was captured. I realised that the amount of lights had already been posted by Carl in a public rebuttal to Andrea, (see further down for more information on this) and Carl was already quoted as saying: “The fourth triangular shaped UFO , turning anti-clockwise before shooting a beam down towards the Earth. It then can be seen flying off following the other UFOs in a northwest direction." But call me old-fashioned if you want but I still like to hear it from the source (as it were).

Unfortunately I've had no reply and so I assume that these are busy times for Carl with the upcoming Paranormal convention at Clontarf Castle, Dublin (where the footage is scheduled for an exclusive public showing) and with, “Interest in the footage from as far afield as Australia with various TV companies in touch looking for the footage to be made available for documentaries ” then I genuinely appreciate that because I've received no reply or acknowledgement it doesn't mean anything other than Carl is a very busy man at the minute.

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Anyway, I contacted Carl a couple of days ago now, the following story appeared in the Meath Chronicle just prior to my email:

The Hoax Files: Source of mystery UFOs revealed!

The mystery surrounding the appearance of UFOs in the skies over Dunboyne recently has been solved.

It's all because of a wedding!

'UFOs' spotted over Dunboyne' were among the rather lurid headlines in both national and local papers, while the incident was reported widely on the internet and was the highlight of a recent paranormal convention. The 'UFOs' were filmed by a high-ranking garda (not from Dunboyne) who happened to be in the area and even an excited Carl Nally, co-founder of UFO and Paranormal Research Ireland, described the footage captured on a camera phone as “the best film of a UFO ever filmed in Ireland and perhaps some of the best footage ever captured worldwide.”

However, the much publicised and discussed 'UFOs' were actually Chinese sky lanterns released by a local couple as a romantic end to their perfect day! Andrea Mulligan, a daughter of Mabel and Finian Mulligan of Dunderry, Navan, but who now lives in Manchester , married Lyndon James on 3rd August and held their reception in Dunboyne Castle Hotel. However, when planning their special day, they could never have imagined the headlines the romantic finale to the wedding would create. Andrea said:

“It is a Chinese tradition to celebrate a special event by making a wish on these lanterns, lighting them and releasing them into the sky…..My husband, our guests and I released them as part of our wedding celebrations. There wasn't an alien in sight! I cannot believe this story is all over the internet! ”

Andrea, who is a solicitor, and Lynden, who is a detective inspector with the British Police, have never really been interested in UFOs and are both astonished at the reaction to their gesture. There were worldwide reports of four triangular UFOs being spotted in the skies over Dunboyne at 10.45pm on 3rd August, the date of Andrea and Lynden's wedding.

“We had a good laugh. It is absolutely gas and I particularly loved reports that alien activity was increasing because of what is happening at Tara,” she added.

Traditionally used in Asian festivals, sky lanterns are said to create an awe-inspiring alternative to a fireworks display and are often used for weddings parties, barbeques and other festivities. Also known as paper or sky lanterns, they are extremely light and can fly in the air for up to 20 minutes and will travel several miles in distance, after which the flame will blow out and they will gently float back down for a safe landing. Sky lanterns can fly to more than 1,000 meters in altitude.

Because of Dunboyne Castle 's proximity to Dublin Airport, Andrea and Lyndon had to get permission from the Irish Aviation Authority and the local Gardai before releasing the sky lanterns.

“If all these people were so convinced it was aliens, just a little research with the Irish aviation authorities would have told them what it was,” Andrea said.

(Wednesday, 8th October, 2008/Ann Casey)
Source: The Meath Chronicle

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And the Tribune.ie wrote:

“Irish UFO tape to be beamed around the world.”

Footage of an alleged UFO, which was filmed in Co Meath by a senior garda two months ago, is to be the main attraction of Ireland 's first Paranormal Convention. The footage, filmed on a camera phone over Dunboyne on 3 August, will be shown to hundreds of UFO enthusiasts expected at the event in Clontarf Castle , Dublin next weekend.

Carl Nally, co-founder of UFO and Paranormal Research Ireland .

"What we have is the best film of a UFO ever filmed in Ireland and perhaps some of the best footage ever captured worldwide….The man involved is a high-ranking garda from Portlaoise. He was on his way back there from Dunboyne on 3 August at about 10.45pm when he spotted four triangular UFOs travelling over his head…..It was such an amazing sight that he jumped out of his car and began filming the objects on his camera phone. What he caught was the fourth triangular shaped UFO , turning anti-clockwise before shooting a beam down towards the Earth. It then can be seen flying off following the other UFOs in a northwest direction."

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Two 'stills' of Irish Triangle UFO

Tribune.ie

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But perhaps more interesting were the comments below the article, a couple of which were posted by Andrea herself, one by another guest at the hotel on the 3rd August and one is a reply from Carl Nally:

#4 Andrea Mulligan commented, on October 6, 2008 at 4:42 p.m.:The "UFO footage" is of sky lanterns (Chinese lanterns) released from Dunboyne Castle by my husband and I at our wedding reception there on the evening of 3 August 2008.

#5 Oliver Murray commented, on October 6, 2008 at 5:19 p.m.:
Yes, Ms Mulligan is correct. My wife and I stayed at the Dunboyne Castle Hotel on the nights of 2nd and 3rd August last, and between 10.30pm and 11pm on 3rd August we watched, from the balcony of our room, the wedding party release about a dozen “sky lanterns” from the car park which travelled in a roughly westerly direction. These are Chinese lanterns/hot air balloons, each powered by a candle. While they were neither coloured, nor triangular, I suspect these were the UFOs your correspondent Ken Sweeney is referring to. Sorry if this spoils the fun at the forthcoming UFO convention.

#9 Carl commented, on October 7, 2008 at 9:29 a.m.: I spoke Andrea on the phone who thought her wedding lanterns were the UFO's reported in the article.

Our video footage was taken by a Garda detective (a highly skilled and trained observer) and he is in no doubt about what he saw and videoed on the night of August 3rd at 10:45pm.

1) Twelve bright objects were observed.

2) There is no video footage on The Tribune website, just three small quality stills.

Since she has never viewed the video footage, she could not compare the two experiences.

We at UPRI are not aware of any sky lantern anywhere in the world having the capability to shoot a red laser type beam down to the ground. I personally have a lot of experience with sky lanterns, (we let dozens off every year at our UFO conferences) and the characteristics of the sky lanterns do not resemble the video footage in any shape or form whatsoever.

Carl Nally

#10 Andrea commented, on October 7, 2008 at 9:53 a.m.:
Mmmmm....what are the chances that we let off about 12 sky lanterns over Dunboyne at 10.45pm on 3 August 2008 and, at exactly the same time, on the same date and in the same location, 12 completely separate and unrelated UFOs decided to make an appearance?

Source: Tribune.ie

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A couple of observations……

The time is now established 10:45pm and as Carl actually has the original footage then this should be the most accurate and it also fits with the two timelines suggested by both Andrea and Melanie (Dunboyne Castle Hotel events manager) regarding the release of Chinese lanterns.

“12 bright objects were observed” and since the shape is known to be triangular then this would account for the four triangle UFOs that were reported earlier, but still, a little confirmation would be nice.

Instead of stating that Andrea hasn't seen the footage perhaps state why she hasn't viewed (or been shown) the footage?

If Carl is holding ‘definitive proof ' that is not only beyond reproach and the likes of which has never been seen before, but is also the most spectacular and amazing footage that Carl himself has seen then why prolong what must be imminent disclosure (or at least an academic acceptance of the phenomena) any more than necessary? Carl Nally is no stranger to UFOs or paranormal occurrences and has authored books on the subject, so when he waxes lyrical to such an extent as to proclaim what he has done about the footage then it ‘should' carry more weight than that of your average UFO hobbyist.

Additionally, when Carl personally writes statements like:

“We at UPRI are not aware of any sky lantern anywhere in the world having the capability to shoot a red laser type beam down to the ground…..I personally have a lot of experience with sky lanterns, (we let dozens off every year at our UFO conferences) and the characteristics of the sky lanterns do not resemble the video footage in any shape or form whatsoever.”

Then people may be forgiven for not instantly buying into the lantern explanation, and as the old adage goes, “The proof of the pudding is in the eating.”

Hopefully we may be allowed a taste-test before this particular pudding turns stale…..

Irish Conference UFO Footage Claimed To Be Party Balloons

A recent comment left on UFO-Blog.com by someone called Andrea was as follows:

Andrea said...

"The lights seen in the sky above Dunboyne Castle on 3 August 2008 and filmed by a senior Garda were not UFOs. In fact, they were Sky Lanterns released by me, my husband and our wedding guests as part of our wedding celebrations at Dunboyne Castle Hotel that evening. Not an alien in sight!!!”

I’ve left word to try and establish contact and at the minute nothing is confirmed ‘per se’ although I am trying to research this further so any help is greatly appreciated.

However, this doesn't account for the ‘light’ that can apparently be witnessed on the video coming towards the earth (according to the Irish Independent).

(Eric Rush of the ufo-uk.org mailing list recently commented that he had received information indicating that the: “Video footage of the Triangle UFO will be shown at the Dublin Paranormal Convention on Saturday 11th Oct in Clontarf Castle.”)

The comment was left on the original Blog post here (We're not alone - politician and pilot spot UFO)

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Further information on UFO Balloons / Chinese Lanterns / Sky Lanterns etc. etc. available here.

IFOs Into UFOs - Chinese Lanterns In Sunderland (Again!!)

The Sunderland Echo recently (3rd October 2008) ran a story regarding a UFO report from a few days ago, they reveal the source of the sightings whilst also mentioning that BUFORA (whom I personally thought were practically defunct) have also revealed that Chinese lanterns were the likely cause.

I wrote about these lanterns at the beginning of July foretelling of the misidentifications I believed that they were going to produce over the summer months, now only a couple of months later and the vast majority of UK UFO reports it seems are (eventually) attributed to these Chinese lanterns.

The article I wrote was titled: “IFOs: (LITs) UFO Balloons, Chinese Lanterns & Misidentifications” and can be viewed here.

Regular readers may remember that one of the three UFO reports I referenced to highlight the fact that these Chinese Lanterns/UFO balloons were predominantly reported as UFOs was in fact an earlier 2006 Sunderland report.

Anyway, here's the recent explanation of the September 2008 Sunderland UFO report:

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Teen party sparks UFO alert

(Last Updated: 03 October 2008 11:14 AM)

An 18th birthday party sparked a series of apparent UFO sightings across Wearside, it emerged today. Shocked residents told last month how they watched as eerie glowing orbs appeared over Hetton and Easington Lane .

As reported in the Echo, more than a dozen witnesses were left stunned after spotting nine "fireballs" in the night sky. Mum Sharon Johnston captured the orange lights on her mobile phone camera. The 33-year-old, from Hetton, said they appeared to be travelling in formation and were in the air for about 10 minutes before suddenly vanishing from sight. However, the British UFO Research Association later revealed it was likely the lights were Chinese sky lanterns, which are often released into the air at public events and celebrations.

Today it emerged that 30 lanterns were lit at Elemore Golf Club, Hetton, where Yasmin Renwick was marking her 18th birthday.

"I couldn't believe it when I saw the article in the paper…..It was a complete shock…..The lanterns were a surprise on the night and it was surprise the next day when I heard how many people had seen them…..It was a great birthday party, though, and I'll never forget it."

Often used as an alternative to fireworks displays, the lanterns – made of paper and bamboo – are known to rise as high as 1,500metres and can travel miles. Yasmin's gran, Yvonne, also from Hetton, helped organise the surprise party with the birthday girl's mum Zoe. She said:

"I was at a wedding about a year ago where I saw about 150 lanterns released into the air. It was so dramatic…..They went down well at the party, but the day after my phone didn't stop ringing. Apparently, people were rushing into their gardens with video cameras…..But we all had a laugh about it afterwards…..It is something to remember Yasmin's birthday by."

Source: Sunderland Echo

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When I wrte this Blog post the earlier article by the Sunderland Echo was unavailable online, this has now been rectified so here is the article that preceded the one above.

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Light thrown on UFO sightings

(01 October 2008)

UFO researchers today identified the mysterious orange lights spotted floating in the sky over a village.

Shocked residents last week told how they watched in awe as the eerie glowing orbs appeared over Easington Lane . As reported in the Echo, more than a dozen witnesses were left stunned after they saw up to nine "fireballs" on Saturday.

Mum Sharon Johnston captured the orange lights on her mobile phone camera. The 33-year-old, from Hetton, said they appeared to be travelling in formation and were in the air for about 10 minutes before suddenly vanishing from sight. The British UFO Research Association says it was likely the lights were Chinese sky lanterns, which are often released into the air at public events and celebrations. Often used as an alternative to fireworks displays, the lanterns, which are made of paper and bamboo, are known to rise as high as 1,500 metres and can travel miles. They are regularly seen at weekends and mistaken for UFOs.

After viewing the footage, a spokesman for the association said: " I see nothing at all here to suggest anything other than lanterns. The colour, appearance and behaviour of the lights unfortunately fit an all too familiar – and, from our perspective, annoying – pattern."

There have been similar sightings in Bristol, Lincolnshire and Wrexham.

The spokesman added: "It is not the fault of such witnesses that so much time ultimately becomes wasted on these reports as the general public are by and large, and perhaps understandably, unfamiliar with the behavioural traits of these things."

Source: Sunderland Echo

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Irish UFO Conference Footage – 3 Credible Witnesses

We're not alone - politician and pilot spot UFO

By Anita Guidera
Monday September 29 2008

THE truth is out there and if a senior garda, a Fianna Fail politician and a pilot are to be believed, aliens are keeping a close eye on us from above. Dramatic eye-witness testimony was heard at a conference over the weekend which, delegates were told, provided "definitive " proof of recent UFO activity in the skies around north Dublin and Meath.

Footage, filmed on a camera phone at 10.35pm on August 3 near Dunboyne was also played and replayed to over 70 delegates who attended the fifth Irish International UFO conference in Carrick-on-Shannon. The triangular shaped image, with lights at each point, which appeared to send a red laser-type light towards earth, drew gasps of amazement from the 70 or so delegates who attended the world premiere of the footage.

A senior garda officer who was driving when he noticed the unusual light formation in the sky stopped to film it. "There is no footage like this in the world. It is the most amazing and spectacular I have ever seen," said Carl Nally, co-founder of UFO and Paranormal Research Ireland and joint author of 'Conspiracy of Silence'.

Five days earlier, on July 29, an off-duty pilot who photographed lightning from Howth pier just after midnight later noticed what appeared to be a triangular-shaped object to the right of the lightning fork in the developed image.

And Fianna Fail Town Councillor in Trim, Jimmy Peppard, ran indoors for a camera on August 8 when he spotted a triangular-shaped object measuring "About a mile in diameter " in the sky, where it remained static for about half an hour.

"What we have here is sightings of three objects east, west and south-east of Dublin airport, each five days apart by reliable and trained observers and even since I have arrived here I have received another image from a pilot, " Mr Nally told the conference. He later described the laser beam footage as the best footage on the planet and said it would be shown all over the world. "This is what the sceptics are crying out for. What all this footage has in common is that trained observers, honest people, took it. What better could you get than a senior garda, a politician and a pilot," he said.

He added that he would not rule out speculation that increased UFO activity in the north Dublin and Meath areas was linked to the road construction works near Tara . " We cannot rule this out as a possibility. We are talking about a very ancient sacred place, " he said.

Ross Hemsworth, who presents a TV show on Sky which investigates the paranormal, said he would reserve judgment until he examined the footage more closely: " There have been a lot of sightings in Ireland in a lot of strange places and the proximity to the digging of the motorway may have opened things up .”

Delegates at the two-day event, organised by Betty Meyler, President of the UFO Society of Ireland, otherwise immersed themselves in talk of orbs, luminosity, crop circles, alien abductions and star children. And ex-oilfield executive Ian Crane warned of plans for a fake alien invasion to be staged at the 2012 Olympics in London by the terrorists behind 9/11 and other atrocities, in their quest for global control.

For organiser Betty Meyler the conference provided an opportunity for like-minded people to come together and make friends: " Before, people were afraid to report sightings because they did not want to be thought of as 'cuckoo' but that has changed now ."

Source: Irish Independent
(Thanks To Joe McGonagle for the lead).

Trojan Horse Targets UFO Enthusiasts

UFO spam hides a Trojan horse

Security experts have warned that emails claiming to contain a video from the CNN news organisation reporting contact with extra-terrestrials should be ignored. The video attached to the email actually contains a Trojan horse rather than the promised report on aliens sending 'cartoon' messages to humanity, said Trend Micro.

A number of other hoax emails with rogue video files attached appearing to be sent by other news outlets such as the BBC also use topics other than UFOs to try and pique our interest.

One of the messages comes with the subject line,
"Hot News: Gene modified rabbits go wild!"

Florabel Baetiong of Trend Micro said that:

"The address bars and subject fields carry sensational headlines whose details supposedly are in the attached video.....Attachment is a compressed file, which when opened contains not a video but a malicious executable file named Exclusive.Cut.avi.exe."

Trend Micro advised surfers to be cautious of unsolicited and unexpected email messages, as the attachments they carry may be harmful to systems.

Source: Webuser

UFO Photographed 10th September 2007 – Rugby UK

UFO Report Rugby , Warwickshire, England. (10th September 2007)

Submitted to UFO Casebook by Geoff Pottle

The above image was submitted to UFOCasebook.com, with this accompanying email.

“This photo was taken at about 2.30pm on 10th September 2007 just out in my back garden. The weather was clear, warm and almost cloudless.

I was just really testing out how my digital camera would take the sun, and without really looking (more point and hope). (I did not at any point look directly into the sun for obvious reasons). Anyhow after transfering a couple of shots on the last picture I saw a shape in the bottom left of the image. Wasn`t sure if it was a plane or a satellite maybe?

Thank you.”

Source: ufocasebook.com/rugby.html

UFO Report Rugby , Warwickshire, England.

Below is part of the image after having being ran through several filters to try and enlarge/clean it up a little.

(Original, unaltered image is at the top left.)