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Magazine Overview

Title: Nouvelles internationales
Issue: 143
Date: March 1975
Publisher: Lumières dans la Nuit

This issue of 'Nouvelles internationales' focuses on international UFO and humanoid encounters, presenting detailed case studies from various countries. The magazine highlights investigative efforts and witness testimonies, aiming to shed light on unexplained phenomena.

International Reports

The Ohio Simian-Humanoid

The lead story details a curious observation from October 12, 1973, in Ohio, USA. Mme R. Heitfeld, while in her mobile home, witnessed a bright light emanating from a row of six lights forming an arc. Her attention was drawn to a very bright light on the asphalt parking lot behind her trailer. There, she saw a creature resembling a 'monkey' appear in the light. Terrified, she woke her son, Carl, who also observed the phenomenon. Mme Heitfeld described the creature as simian-like, standing upright, with a prognathous head and a snout. It was enclosed in a 'light shield' resembling an operating room, with a bell-shaped 'lady's umbrella' appearance. The creature moved as if gliding. The light dome was estimated to be about 4.5 meters in diameter. The creature appeared to be manipulating something with invisible levers. The incident coincided with fire alarms being triggered in a nearby warehouse, though no fire was found. Later, two individuals arrived to assist a car with a dead battery, and when they left, the light and the creature had vanished. Mme Heitfeld discovered a pile of ash and dust on the parking lot, and collected samples. The fire alarm activation was attributed to an 'unknown cause' by the fire chief.

Brazilian UFO Wave

Reports from Brazil in June 1974 describe a resurgence of UFO sightings. In Valença, near Rio de Janeiro, four witnesses reported a disc-shaped UFO flying at high speed, emitting bright flashes and a loud noise, before stopping in mid-air and disappearing, leaving an orange trace. The city became a hub for UFO discussions, with many residents claiming to have seen similar objects. In the region of Barra Mansa, an attorney also reported seeing a UFO with similar characteristics. Further observations occurred in the Vale do Paraiba region. On June 20, 1974, residents of Santo André, São Bernardo, and São Caetano, suburbs of São Paulo, observed a strange luminosity. Journalist Kenji Honda photographed the phenomenon. Descriptions varied, with some seeing a cigar-shaped object emitting orange light, while others described two strong white lights like those of a helicopter. Military police vehicles followed the event. The phenomenon was also observed with great clarity in Diadena. Military officials and scientists offered explanations, including 'mirage effects' due to atmospheric conditions, but the Brazilian Air Force excluded reflections in clouds, citing meteorological data that indicated clear skies at the time of the observation.

Spanish Encounters: UFOs and the Military

Early January 1975 saw UFO observations in the Burgos region of Spain, with reports from military personnel. While the Air Force denied an observation at Las Bardenas, an investigation into a case at Quintaortimo, involving three military engineers, yielded more information. The witnesses, Manolo Agnera, Felipe Sanchez, and Ricardo Iglesias, reported seeing a luminous object, brighter than stars, descending rapidly. They later observed four cone-shaped objects, one of which emitted a ray. The objects appeared to hover and then moved rapidly. An investigation of the site revealed a burnt area, approximately 40m by 4m, with the grass showing signs of being scorched. Farmers confirmed recent burns, but not from October as initially suggested. The military initially refused to comment, but later facilitated an investigation. The report notes that the Air Force maintained silence regarding the Las Bardenas observation.

Mexican Incendiary Ray

A mysterious fire occurred on May 29, 1973, in Vera Cruz, Mexico, involving a truck carrying construction materials. The driver reported that after stopping his truck, he pursued a group of small, strangely dressed 'little men'. Upon returning to his vehicle, he found it engulfed in 'gigantic blue flames' that produced no heat. The truck and its contents were destroyed. An industrial engineer, José Haro Lopez, who studied the phenomenon, suggested it was caused by a 'ray' similar to a laser, noting that the fire spared certain combustible parts of the truck. The report concludes this is an unusual and mysterious case.

Tasmanian Sightings

Several UFO observations from Tasmania, Australia, are presented. In September 1974, Mme A. Richards and her daughters experienced their car's electrical systems failing and a loud vibrating noise after observing a strange light. The following night, M. Richards reported a light following his car, which then coalesced into a dark ball and impacted his windshield without causing damage. In September 1975, Mme W. reported similar electrical issues and observed an incandescent orange and silver object that emitted a ray. In February 1975, two witnesses at Lake Sorell observed three luminous objects, one of which emitted a cone-shaped ray towards the lake. The objects were described as having a central red light and peripheral lights. The report notes that the TUFOIC (Tasmanian UFO Investigation Centre) has documented numerous sightings, including cases of low-altitude flights and engine stoppages.

Belgian Close Encounter

In May 1972, a driver in Wavre, Belgium, reported a close encounter with a spherical object described as pale green, the size of a coconut. The object, which had a fine, dark, irregular pattern, impacted his windshield at high speed, causing a loud noise but no damage. The driver found the glass and the car's body inexplicably clean after the incident. The object's behavior and the lack of physical evidence led to it being classified as an unexplained phenomenon.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The recurring themes in this issue are the diversity of UFO phenomena reported globally, the often-unexplained nature of these events, and the challenges faced by investigators in gathering concrete evidence. The magazine emphasizes witness testimony, often from credible individuals, and highlights instances where UFOs appear to interact with vehicles or cause electromagnetic disturbances. The editorial stance appears to be one of open inquiry, presenting cases for consideration without definitive conclusions, encouraging further research into these unexplained aerial phenomena. The publication of detailed reports from various countries suggests a commitment to a broad, international perspective on the UFO subject.

This issue of "inforespace" (Issue 62, dated February 1973) focuses on photographic evidence and witness testimonies of unidentified aerial phenomena (UAP).

The Witness Testimony (Le témoin)

The article begins by discussing five common characteristics of UAP incidents, primarily related to the behavior of the UAP itself, noting a lack of physical traces. The focus then shifts to the witnesses, particularly M. Francis Dewaay, who was interviewed in May 1975. Dewaay confirms a previous report he made to Y. Vézant, stating that his experience was "practically the same thing."

When asked about a sighting in May 1972, Dewaay described seeing a small, pale green, cauliflower-like sphere, about 8-10 cm in diameter, which "exploded" on his car's windshield without causing damage. He ruled out a sun reflection in his rearview mirror, emphasizing the object's solid appearance, defined contours, and pale green color with dark streaks.

Dewaay stated that his car continued to function normally after the incident. He did not recall any other similar incidents or personal illnesses. He works as a sales representative for industrial equipment. This was not his first observation; he had two previous experiences. The first, in 1968 or 1969, involved observing a disc-like object moving away over Lake Garda with his wife, though he only managed to take a distant, unclear photo. The second involved seeing a luminous cigar-shaped object at high altitude while driving, which disappeared too quickly for his wife to see.

Dewaay believes the origin of UFOs is extraterrestrial and accepts the concept of "ufonautes" (alien beings). He finds the case of Socorro plausible but considers the Vilvorde case somewhat questionable.

Franck Boitte: Arrest of Two Engines at Ohain (ARRET DE DEUX MOTEURS A OHAIN)

This section details an incident that occurred at the Royal Waterloo Golf Club near Ohain, Belgium, in September 1972. M. Charlier, a gardener, was mowing the lawns around 3 AM when his mechanical mower suddenly slowed down and stopped, despite having a full tank of fuel. He experienced a strange feeling of heat and tingling, similar to a limb "falling asleep."

Shortly after, his colleague, who was working on another green, also found his mower had stopped. Both machines were out of commission. Charlier's watch, which was about ten years old, had also stopped. He decided to replace the spark plugs, and while walking to his utility vehicle, he was intrigued by a dog's barking. As he approached his mower, he felt as if he were caught in a "whirlwind." He then observed a silent, circular object, about a hundred meters away, moving rapidly upwards in a curved trajectory. The object had a flattened cone base topped by a dome, surrounded by a luminous halo. It had three dark green spots on its lower section, possibly representing windows. The object's color changed from pale green to a more intense green, accompanied by a pulsing phenomenon. The entire observation lasted about five seconds. The object moved from south-southwest to north-northeast, leaving no trail, but causing nearby clouds to become luminous and greenish.

After the object disappeared, Charlier was able to restart his mower without difficulty. His colleague also managed to restart his. Charlier felt shaken and had a restless night, taking aspirin. He felt lethargic throughout the weekend. His colleague, who has a slight intellectual disability, remembered nothing of the event.

Despite having only one primary witness, the incident is considered significant due to the various secondary effects reported, including the stopping of mechanical equipment and a watch.

The Photo Dossier of Inforespace (Le dossier photo d'inforespace)

This section presents a case from Conejo, California, on February 8, 1973. Two 15-year-old boys, Kurt Huettner and Richard Coimbra, observed and photographed a UAP using a Polaroid "Square Shooter." Initially mistaking it for a commercial airplane, they soon realized it was a silent, flameless, and smokeless object rotating on its axis. The object was visible for about 30 seconds before disappearing behind trees.

The witnesses estimated the object's altitude at 800 feet (approximately 260 meters) and its distance from them between 800 and 1200 meters. Huettner estimated the object's diameter at about 70 feet (23 meters).

The investigation was conducted by retired USAF Lieutenant-Colonel R. F. Bowker for the Mutual UFO Network (MUFON). He submitted the photograph to Adrian Vance, a photographic expert. Vance analyzed the photo, noting that the object appeared as a small spot (2 mm in diameter) on the original document. He estimated the UAP's diameter to be around ten meters, located more than 600 meters away. Vance's analysis suggested the object had a flattened base and a dome, and was slightly tilted. A bright light emanated from a large opening on the lower part of the craft, representing one-third of the base diameter.

Based on the photograph, where a tree is estimated to be 320 meters from the camera, Vance calculated that the object's width and height were in a 1:4 ratio. The lower part of the object appeared flat or open and was visible only by its outline. The analysis suggests the object may have been hovering rather than moving at high speed. The dossier was made possible through the collaboration of J. Brill of SKYLOOK magazine and the translation efforts of Michel Demunter.

Communication

This section is a general announcement from SOBEPS, inviting members to visit their headquarters under certain conditions, respecting the privacy of their general secretary. They remind members of the office hours (Monday to Saturday, 11 AM to 7 PM) and request appointments for visits outside these hours or on Sundays and holidays.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The recurring themes in this issue are the detailed analysis of UAP sightings, the importance of witness testimony, and the examination of photographic evidence. The magazine appears to adopt a serious, investigative approach to the phenomenon, presenting cases with detailed accounts and expert analysis. The editorial stance seems to be one of open inquiry into the UAP phenomenon, acknowledging its complexities and the challenges in gathering complete data due to factors like witness reluctance and lack of collaboration.