Sighting in La Colle-sur-Loup, June 17, 2012

Around one in the morning, a couple was driving home. The passenger noticed several orange glowing balls in the clear sky. They were not flashing and were at low altitude. The lights disappeared after a few minutes. Only one witness account was collected.

GEIPAN considered that orange balls seen in the sky on a weekend night strongly suggest Thai lanterns, probably released nearby at the end of a private party. Their disappearance after a few minutes is also typical of such lanterns, whose burners only work for a limited time. The witness's surprise does not argue against this explanation, since it also happens with lanterns. The witness did mention other people watching the lights, but none of them came forward to GEIPAN or the gendarmerie. The case was therefore classified B: probably Thai lanterns.