Sighting in Le Châtelet, May 11, 2013

Around midnight, a motorist noticed several glowing orange balls crossing the sky one after another, making no sound. According to the witness, they flew low, beneath the cloud layer, and followed a straight path toward the northeast, in the direction of Marcais. The witness took photographs, but the original files were never passed on to GEIPAN. No one else reported seeing the phenomenon.

Data from Meteociel showed a well-established wind from the west-southwest at Châteauroux, with a similar reading at Bourges. The gendarmes suggested the lights were Thai lanterns, an explanation that fits both the witness's description and the local wind. Evenings during long weekends in May are also a common time for parties, where lanterns of this kind are often released. The case was classified B: the sighting was probably a passage of Thai lanterns.