UFO sightings by place

UFO sightings in Pyrénées-Orientales: 42 reports

SkyUnknown lists 42 UFO sightings in Pyrénées-Orientales, from 1976 to 2025, drawn from official records: GEIPAN (CNES). The busiest year was 1981, with 6 cases.

Of the 42 cases with a conclusion from their source, 69% are explained (with certainty or probably), 24% lack the data to conclude, and 3 remain unidentified. The most frequent identified causes: sky lanterns (8); aircraft (3); balloons (3).

Most frequently named places: Perpignan (9), Canet-en-Roussillon (2), Saint-Cyprien (2), Saint-André (2), and Elne (2).

cases: 42
unidentified: 3
period: 1976–2025
source: 1

Map of the cases

Notable cases

The most complete records: account of the sighting, conclusion of the official investigation.

Other departments in the region

Sightings by decade

Identified causes

For cases explained with certainty or probably.

All sightings

Date	Place	Status	Identified cause
March 1, 2025	Espira-de-l'Agly · Pyrénées-Orientales	Explained	Ground lights and lasers
January 4, 2025	Perpignan · Pyrénées-Orientales	Explained	Sky lanterns
August 28, 2024	Perpignan · Pyrénées-Orientales	Probably explained	Birds, insects, nature
July 11, 2024	Pia · Pyrénées-Orientales	Probably explained	Sky lanterns
December 25, 2023	Elne · Pyrénées-Orientales	Insufficient data
January 1, 2021	Thuir · Pyrénées-Orientales	Explained	Sky lanterns
July 30, 2020	Perpignan · Pyrénées-Orientales	Explained	Birds, insects, nature
September 5, 2017	Le Barcarès · Pyrénées-Orientales	Probably explained	Sky lanterns
February 2, 2015	Perpignan · Pyrénées-Orientales	Probably explained
July 26, 2014	Saint-Cyprien · Pyrénées-Orientales	Probably explained	Sky lanterns
July 13, 2014	Argelès-sur-Mer · Pyrénées-Orientales	Probably explained	Aircraft
May 17, 2014	Saint-Estève · Pyrénées-Orientales	Probably explained	Sky lanterns
August 24, 2013	Le Boulou · Pyrénées-Orientales	Insufficient data
August 4, 2013	Saint-André · Pyrénées-Orientales	Explained	Reflections and photo artefacts
December 12, 2012	Perpignan · Pyrénées-Orientales	Explained	Fireworks and flares
July 14, 2012	Saint-André · Pyrénées-Orientales	Probably explained	Sky lanterns
February 3, 2011	Perpignan · Pyrénées-Orientales	Probably explained	Space station (ISS)
August 13, 2010	Perpignan · Pyrénées-Orientales	Probably explained	Balloons
April 9, 2010	Ortaffa · Pyrénées-Orientales	Insufficient data
February 28, 2010	Elne · Pyrénées-Orientales	Probably explained	Sky lanterns
November 9, 2009	Claira · Pyrénées-Orientales	Probably explained	Aircraft
October 14, 2009	Ille-sur-Têt · Pyrénées-Orientales	Insufficient data
August 11, 2009	Canet-en-Roussillon · Pyrénées-Orientales	Explained	Ground lights and lasers
July 31, 2009	Saint-Estève · Pyrénées-Orientales	Insufficient data
March 17, 2009	Millas · Pyrénées-Orientales	Explained	Space station (ISS)
February 11, 2009	Saint-Cyprien · Pyrénées-Orientales	Explained	Planets
October 2008	Palau-del-Vidre · Pyrénées-Orientales	Unexplained
June 23, 2008	Perpignan · Pyrénées-Orientales	Explained	Balloons
May 14, 2004	Saint-Marsal · Pyrénées-Orientales	Explained	Space station (ISS)
September 27, 2001	Saint-Laurent-de-la-Salanque · Pyrénées-Orientales	Unexplained
March 17, 1997	Cabestany · Pyrénées-Orientales	Probably explained	Balloons
September 26, 1983	Canet-en-Roussillon · Pyrénées-Orientales	Explained
December 16, 1981	Latour-de-France · Pyrénées-Orientales	Insufficient data
October 3, 1981	Vernet-les-Bains · Pyrénées-Orientales	Insufficient data
September 27, 1981	Corneilla-de-Conflent · Pyrénées-Orientales	Insufficient data
September 19, 1981	Sainte-Léocadie · Pyrénées-Orientales	Probably explained	Aircraft
February 23, 1981	Le Soler · Pyrénées-Orientales	Insufficient data
January 15, 1981	Perpignan · Pyrénées-Orientales	Probably explained	Satellites
February 16, 1978	Sauto · Pyrénées-Orientales	Explained	Re-entries
January 17, 1977	Porté-Puymorens · Pyrénées-Orientales	Explained
August 28, 1976	Planès · Pyrénées-Orientales	Insufficient data
March 25, 1976	Thuir · Pyrénées-Orientales	Unexplained

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The figures on this page are computed from the official records cited on each case. See sources and method

Notable cases

Palau-del-Vidre

Saint-Laurent-de-la-Salanque

Thuir

Espira-de-l'Agly

Perpignan