OVNI - 2000 05 - May-June

Magazine Overview

Title: OVNI
Issue: May/June 2000
Publisher: Journal of the Phenomenon Research Association
Country: United Kingdom
Price: £1 plus postage

This issue of OVNI magazine, published by the Journal of the Phenomenon Research Association, presents a collection of intriguing reports and witness accounts related to unexplained phenomena, UFOs, and mysterious events from around the world.

Roswell: The Latest 'Witness' Report - Fact or Fiction?

The lead article investigates a new witness account of the Roswell incident, purportedly from a Military Policeman (MP). The witness, who served from 1947-1948, claims the crash occurred on the Plains of San Agustin, not the Brazel location. He states he was part of a group of MPs securing the area and saw a creature being covered up and loaded onto a truck. He described the creature as having six fingers, pale skin, and being about 4' 9" tall, resembling the beings from the 'Alien Autopsy' film. He also noted the craft was damaged, with a large hole on its left side, suggesting an explosion from within. The craft was loaded onto a flatbed truck, and the creatures were reportedly flown to Wright-Patterson. The witness recalls being debriefed by individuals claiming to be from the DOD and being told to remain silent for national security and family reasons. He mentions that few people at the base knew about the event and that his friend, Pappy Henderson, flew the bodies out.

This report is followed by comments from Stanton Friedman, a Nuclear Physicist and UFO Researcher. Friedman expresses skepticism, noting that there was no DOD in July 1947, and points out that several military bases closer to the Plains of San Agustin than Roswell had scientists. He also questions the six-fingered description and suggests the details could be echoed from books and TV. He offers to check base yearbooks for the witness's name.

Garry Stapleton of PRA also leans towards a 'Total Fraud' hypothesis, linking the report to the 'Alien Autopsy' film and questioning the scientific validity of an alien autopsy without knowledge of alien anatomy and physiology.

Amazed Witness Spots a ‘FT' Over Twickenham

This section details a sighting by Mr M.R.James of Twickenham on April 25th, 2000. He reported observing a low-flying 'Flying Triangle' (FT) passing over rooftops at 10:50 pm. He initially mistook it for a plane but noted it was too low and silent, with large, 'fuzzy' white lights and a single white strobe at the rear. The object emitted a low hum or droning sound, not like a jet. It ascended steeply and disappeared into a mist. He contrasts this with a QUANTAS jet that appeared five minutes later, noting the FT lacked forward-facing navigation lights and its downward-facing lights did not illuminate anything. The object was estimated to be about 150ft across and moving at 40-50mph. The witness concluded it was too slow for a plane and had unusual lights.

Some Interesting 'Oldies'

This section presents two older sightings:

• August 1996 - Ironville, Derbyshire: Mrs LY reported seeing a triangular object moving slowly and silently high in the sky. It was dull mid-grey with one red and two creamy white lights. She observed it for about 5 minutes, noting its slow speed and size relative to a plane dwarfed by it.
• February 1967 - Upper Longdon, Nr Rugeley, Staffs: Mr FSK reported seeing a saucer-shaped object in a gap in the clouds. It appeared silver-grey, with the underside in shadow. Its estimated size was 30-35ft in diameter. It had no lights and made no sound initially, but then began to revolve quickly with a buzzing sound before disappearing behind clouds.

A Report from Northern Ireland 19-11-97

This report details a sighting by Mrs A.McKee of Kilkeel, Co. Down. At 7 am on November 19th, 1997, she observed a massive bright light resembling a keyhole hovering over the Mournes. The light glowed and shook before narrowing and disappearing. Subsequently, five smaller bright lights emerged from the same spot and moved in various patterns, including going round and round and up and down. These lights moved towards the town and disappeared into a large cloud. Mrs McKee found the experience baffling and unlike any known aircraft. The report also mentions frequent, but previously unpublicised, sightings in the area and a report of a bright light seen near Bignian Mountain on November 12th, described as being 'like looking at a light in a tunnel'.

News from Our Australian Correspondent: Barbara Patterson. 'Australia's Bermuda Triangle'

This article from the Sunday Mail (March 5th, 2000) highlights a patch of water in the Gulf of Carpentaria known as Australia's Bermuda Triangle, where nine people have gone missing in the past ten years without their bodies being found. Recent incidents include a diver disappearing on November 24th, 1999, and a plane disappearing on February 16th, 2000, with six people on board. Searchers found debris but no bodies. Another case involved two Department of Primary Industries workers who disappeared, leaving only their dinghy. State Emergency Service volunteer Tim Trad describes the area as plagued by unlucky events and notes the difficulty pilots have in seeing the horizon due to calm seas and overcast weather. The Gulf is also noted for large sharks and crocodiles.

Australian Note: Queensland Australia: By Jeff Whitear

Jeff Whitear relates recent OVNI reports about spooked cattle to his opinion on the failure of Queensland power stations in 1998. He suggests that land movement in 1998 created a critical stage and a build-up of Earth's energy, potentially leading to a major earthquake. He also speculates about further stress on the area due to planetary alignments in May, comparing it to energy lines and standing stones, and wonders about the effects on weather, communications, and power supplies.

Live Letter Page

This section features correspondence:

• Dr. Richard Haines (Los Altos, California) acknowledges Omar Fowler's reports on FTs, encouraging him to become a 'domain expert'. He shares a case from his interview with Ralph Steiner about a Lancaster, California sighting on May 29th, 1991, which he video-taped, suggesting it for future inclusion.
• Jeff Whitear (PRA Member) encloses patterns of a 'Labyrinth', predicting they will appear in crop circles this year.

An Unusual Phenomenon (1968) - Apparitions in Zeitoun Egypt

This article describes the apparitions of 'Our Lady of Light' in Zeitoun, Egypt, which occurred hundreds of times at night above Saint Mark's Coptic Church. The apparitions were surrounded by light. The last day honouring Our Lady under this title falls on April 2nd. On April 2nd, 1968, at 8:30 pm, she appeared on the church roof in a kneeling position, surrounded by light. The first witness, Farouk Mohammed Atwa, was undergoing surgery for gangrene at the time.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The recurring themes in this issue are diverse, encompassing alleged UFO crashes (Roswell), sightings of unidentified aerial phenomena (Flying Triangles, saucers, triangular objects), mysterious disappearances (Australia's Bermuda Triangle), and religious or spiritual apparitions (Zeitoun). The editorial stance, as indicated by the inclusion of skeptical commentary from Stanton Friedman and Garry Stapleton regarding the Roswell report, appears to be one of open inquiry but also critical evaluation. The magazine aims to present witness accounts and reports while also providing a platform for discussion and analysis from researchers in the field of ufology and unexplained phenomena. The inclusion of 'oldies' and international reports suggests a broad scope of interest.

This issue of OVNI magazine, dated May 2000, focuses on a variety of unexplained phenomena, including UFO sightings and astronomical events. The cover story, "The Evening Sky," discusses celestial occurrences for May 2000, while other articles detail specific UFO encounters and related news.

Our Lady of Light, Zeitoun, Egypt

The issue begins with a detailed account of the apparitions of Our Lady of Light in Zeitoun, Egypt, which reportedly began on April 21, 1968. The first apparition lasted only a few moments, but over the next three years, Our Lady appeared frequently, often at night, sometimes accompanied by white doves and celestial lights. These events attracted massive crowds of up to 250,000 people from diverse religious backgrounds. The apparitions concluded in 1971, leaving behind an atmosphere of unity and peace, with many reporting miraculous healings. The apparitions were officially approved by the Patriarch of the Coptic Church in Egypt and later by the Roman Catholic Church, with Pope Paul VI approving them in May 1968. A notable aspect was that Our Lady was visible to everyone, and photographs were allowed. Although no verbal messages were given, her posture was often one of prayer, and the doves would form the sign of the cross. For more information, readers are directed to a website hosted by Rev. Father Boutros Gayed.

Reports from Anthony James (EMUFORA)

This section compiles several UFO sighting reports:

Sarasota, Florida

On March 15, 2000, a TV host received a call from a skeptic named John who described a sighting from a year earlier. While driving on I-75 near Sarasota, John and his wife saw a hovering object about a mile ahead. It was approximately 100 feet long, dark, with three lights underneath, and moved very slowly. Another caller, Abraham, reported seeing the same object around the same time, describing it as cigar-shaped, about 75 feet long, with three bright white lights underneath.

Arlington, Texas

On April 10, 2000, at 22:00, Mike Harman reported seeing a large triangular object while driving north on I-360. The object was estimated to be 60-100ft wide, flat on top, sharply pointed at each end, solid black, and between 500-1000 ft above the ground. A smaller, shiny metallic object was seen just ahead of the triangle, possibly connected to it. The witness noted the object made a turn, and the smaller object was about one-tenth the size of the triangle.

Yukon, Canada

On March 30, 2000, a family traveling along the Klondike Highway saw a 35ft diameter saucer hovering about 200ft off the ground. The object was stationary for about 5 seconds before shooting across the road at incredible speed, stopping instantly on the other side, and then shooting off again after a split second.

California Desert

Donald MacPherson and his wife observed a yellowish light on I-10 in the desert around 8:30 pm. A second light appeared, followed by a third and fourth, evenly spaced and about the same height above the hills. Another light passed over them, outlined by the glow. The lights traveled east at about 70mph. A flash behind the hills caught his wife's attention. The lights remained visible for about 15 minutes.

Indianapolis, Indiana

On March 14, at approximately 22:50, a former Deputy Sheriff and his associate observed a white glowing elongated object, about 30-35 feet long, hovering near high-tension wires. The object moved towards them at about 25mph and passed over them at about 50 feet up, disappearing after about 3 minutes.

White Sulpher Springs, West Virginia

On April 6, 2000, a Fire Tower Lookout videotaped four UFOs emerging from clouds at 4:30 pm. The objects were circular and estimated to be about 50 feet in diameter. Within two minutes, 14 more UFOs were recorded, and a segment showed nine objects flying together upwards through the atmosphere.

The Evening Sky - May 2000

This section, written by Walter Berg, discusses astronomical events in May 2000. On May 5th, the Sun, Moon, and five naked-eye planets (Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter, and Saturn) were predicted to align, but observation would be hindered by the new moon and the alignment being on the opposite side of the Sun from Earth. A closer alignment of the five planets occurred on May 17th, excluding the Moon. The author dismisses concerns that planetary alignments cause catastrophic events, stating that their combined tidal force is small compared to the Sun and Moon, though they can influence lives and society. The article also mentions a new fragrance inspired by meteorites created by ICI Quest and highlights the Solar Heliospheric Observatory (SOHO) discovering its 100th comet. The full moon was on May 18th, and the author expresses personal appreciation for the moon's magnificence.

Tale Enders

This section provides brief updates and news items:

• High Solar Activity: David Kingston warns of potential trouble due to high solar activity, including sunspots, solar flares, magnetic shifts, and extreme weather.
• Longdendale Valley, Peak District: Recent UFO activity has been reported in this valley, with around 300 sightings in the past 10 years, primarily unexplained lights. The article suggests a geological explanation ('earth lights') as a possibility.
• Area 51 Aerial Photograph: A photograph published in The Sun is identified as a Russian satellite image previously sold at conferences.
• Cuban UFO Reports: An apology is made for the non-inclusion of Cuban UFO reports due to space limitations, prioritizing local news.
• 1941 UFO: An eyewitness report of a UFO seen by British soldiers during the Battle of Tobruk in December 1941 is mentioned, to be included in the next issue. A 1944 UFO report plotted on radar over Tarawa in the Pacific has also been held over.
• Small FT UFO in North Borneo: On April 4, 2000, witnesses reported a small triangular UFO with red and green lights flying towards the Crocker Mountains.
• Radio Derby: The local radio station has a monthly UFO talk-show, with the editor answering calls.
• ASDA UFO Sighting: On March 3rd, a very bright object, described as 'about the size of a large egg,' was seen by a mother and daughter in Sutton-in-Ashfield. It split into two parts (green and red balls) and vanished.
• In the Next Issue: An exclusive report is promised about a passenger who saw what appeared to be a secret base inside an extinct volcano over Greenland in December 1992.
• Next Meeting: The next meeting is scheduled for Tuesday, May 30th, at the Royal British Legion in Derby, featuring guest speaker Mel Grant discussing 'Abductees' research with potential video evidence.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The recurring themes in this issue are UFO sightings across various locations and time periods, astronomical phenomena, and the intersection of these with belief systems and scientific inquiry. The magazine appears to present a wide range of reports, from eyewitness accounts of unexplained aerial phenomena to official approvals of religious apparitions. The editorial stance seems to be one of open-minded investigation, presenting information from various sources while also offering potential explanations, such as geological phenomena for 'earth lights'. The inclusion of astronomical news and the 'Evening Sky' column suggests an interest in broader unexplained or awe-inspiring natural events. The publication also engages with its readership through reports of upcoming meetings and calls for contributions.