Sighting in Maincy, December 10, 2013

In the evening, between 10:06 and 10:13 p.m., a driver saw three large orange lights arranged in a triangle above a small wooded area. Between the lights, the witness could make out a dark mass. The lights went out one after another, and the witness described the object as shrinking as well. Another driver had been called over as a witness, but only one account was collected.

The investigation compared these orange lights, which were visible for a few minutes, to Thai lanterns. According to GEIPAN, the dark mass between the lights is a common visual perception illusion (Gestalt theory), and the fact that it faded as the lights went out supports this. GEIPAN contacted the gendarmerie, the town hall and the Château de Vaux-le-Vicomte to try to trace whoever might have released lanterns, but no party was known in the area that evening. The lights were over a large private park, whose owners were not looked up; the release must have taken place further east. A very light wind blew from the east, so the witness had it at their back and saw the nearly stationary objects drift slightly away.

Although lantern releases are fairly rare on weekdays and the person responsible was not found, the account is consistent with this hypothesis. GEIPAN classified the case B, probable observation of Thai lanterns. The witness did not accept this explanation.