Sighting in Vieux-Boucau-les-Bains, August 15, 2014

The witness was waiting for the fireworks to begin when they noticed seven bright points moving across the sky in the shape of a cross. The group crossed the sky in less than a minute and then vanished into the clouds. It was heading southwest, toward the ocean.

GEIPAN considered that bright points crossing the sky in formation on a festival night strongly suggest Thai lanterns or illuminated balloons carried by the wind, most likely released near the site of the local celebration. Ordinary latex or mylar balloons lit only by the lights of the small town were also a possibility. The wind data could not confirm this: it was light and from the south at Biarritz (37 km to the south), and from the northwest at Biscarosse (70 km to the north). The local wind was therefore hard to establish, especially since on summer evenings, when winds are weak, sea and thermal breezes along the coast matter more than the general wind pattern. Despite the large number of potential witnesses, only one report was received, which suggests that most people present did not find the phenomenon strange. GEIPAN classified the case as B: probable sighting of Thai lanterns or balloons.