Sighting in Messincourt, March 10, 1994

At about 8:55 p.m., two witnesses noticed coloured lights in the sky that outlined a shape. The first described it as circular and flat, the second as triangular. What drew their attention was the object's unusual trajectory, followed by the arrival of a second phenomenon. The observation was short and intermittent. No particular noise was heard: the second witness says so, while the first does not commit either way. No other testimony was collected.

The witnesses do not agree on everything. The first saw white lights slowly rotating inside the triangle, whereas the second saw them revolving outside it. Only the first witness saw the second phenomenon joining the first.

GEIPAN considered only one hypothesis, a helicopter. Two points on which the witnesses agree strongly support it: the trajectory and, above all, the triangle of three navigation lights, white, red and green. The lack of radar detection could be explained by a low altitude, under 200 or 300 metres, although this was not confirmed. The absence of noise is unusual, but GEIPAN has met it in some similar cases, and a very striking sight can mask the sound that goes with it. An on-site investigation would have helped clarify the discrepancies, but the observation was long and detailed enough, and consistent on the decisive points. The contradictions, about the shape and position of the white lights, are not decisive. GEIPAN judged the helicopter hypothesis more likely than not, above 50 percent, and classified the case B, probably identified.