Sighting in Mandelieu-la-Napoule, May 18, 2014

At around 9:20 p.m., a pedestrian noticed an orange-red object in the sky that looked as if it were on fire. The witness got into their car and ended up directly beneath the object, which they photographed. The object then left its path and disappeared from view.

The GEIPAN investigation ruled out several possibilities. The Calsky records showed no very bright satellite at that time. The satellite TIROS 2 did re-enter the atmosphere that day, but early in the day, so it did not match the sighting at all. The description of a "flame in the sky" instead suggested a Thai lantern, which would have been drifting toward the south-west. The Météociel record for Cannes showed a light wind between 9 and 10 p.m., shifting from the north toward the west, and the object's direction of travel could be consistent with that wind. The photos matched the usual appearance of pictures of Thai lanterns. The time and place, a Sunday evening during the Cannes festival, were also well suited to various festive events.

GEIPAN classified the case as B: probable sighting of a Thai lantern. The witness rejects this explanation.