UFO Mail - No 071 - 2006

Magazine Overview

Title: Skandinavisk UFO Information
Issue: nr. 71
Date: June 21, 2006
Publisher: Danmarks UFO Forening

This issue of Skandinavisk UFO Information focuses on a significant light phenomenon observed over Lisbon Airport in 1979, alongside other UFO and aerial phenomena reports from Denmark and Greece.

Kraftigt lysfænomen over Lissabons lufthavn i 1979 (Intense light phenomenon over Lisbon Airport in 1979)

This lead article, written by Ole Henningsen, details an extraordinary experience reported by engineer Lars Kierulff, who resides in Porto, Portugal. Kierulff recounts an event on June 16, 1979, around 02:20 AM, near Lisbon Airport. While leaving a café, he and his companions were enveloped in an intensely bright light, described as sudden and overwhelming, making it seem like daytime for 5-10 seconds before vanishing instantly. Kierulff initially suspected a powerful lightning flash but was puzzled by the lack of thunder and the duration of the light.

The following day, Kierulff saw newspaper reports about the phenomenon, with one mentioning over 35,000 witnesses. He notes that Portugal has a lively nightlife, especially in summer, making widespread observation plausible.

Portuguese Newspaper Account

The article includes a translation of a report from the Portuguese newspaper 'A Capital', titled "Intens lys oplyser natten i Lissabon" (Intense light illuminates the night in Lisbon). This report confirms the event occurred around 02:20 AM on the night between Saturday and Sunday. It states the light was intensely bright, bluish, oval-shaped, and moved at high speed. The phenomenon was observed not only from various parts of Portugal but also by the control tower staff at Lisbon Airport. Initial indications came from a TAP flight preparing for landing, reporting a bright blueish flash moving left in front of the aircraft, illuminating the entire airport area.

Two other aircraft approaching Lisbon, as well as two on the runway awaiting takeoff clearance, also confirmed the observation. A plane flying at a high altitude about 100 km away over the sea reported seeing a powerful light moving northwards over Lisbon Airport.

Observations from Other Areas

Further reports indicate the phenomenon was visible in Caldas and S. Martinho do Porto, about 85 km north of Lisbon. A group of six witnesses there described being surprised by a sudden, intense light, like a giant lamp being turned on, which illuminated the entire area as if it were daylight. They observed a reddish streak moving parallel to the ground in a northeast-southeasterly direction, followed by a less intense white ball that then disappeared. A long, low-frequency sound was heard after the light vanished. The event lasted three to five seconds, and the witnesses described it as unlike anything they had ever seen.

SUFOI contacted its European partners. Joaquim Fernandes from University Fernando Pessoa in Porto suggested the phenomenon might have been a strongly luminous, slow-moving meteor traveling from south to north, with hundreds of reports received. He speculated it occurred at high altitude and the meteor likely broke up.

Juan Pablo González from CUCO (Unified Catalogue of UFO Sightings) in Valencia, Spain, reported that CUCO's database contains 8,500 reports concerning 7,000 observations over the years from Spain, Portugal, and Andorra. For the Lisbon event, CUCO recorded times between 01:20 and 03:00 AM. CUCO also has two similar reports, one from Montejunto, Portugal, and another from Valencia de Alcántara, Spain, both dated around 03:00 AM.

While acknowledging the difficulty in investigating older UFO observations, the article notes the significant effort by European UFO researchers in compiling databases. Based on the information gathered, the conclusion leans towards the possibility that Lars Kierulff witnessed a spectacular natural event – a large meteor.

Hvad var lysene i græsset? (What were the lights in the grass?)

Lars Kierulff shares another personal experience from his time in Denmark. He recounts an incident in June 1980 or 1981, near Trelleborg ramparts in Slagelse, where he observed two small, strong lights hovering about 30-40 cm above the grass in a field, approximately 50 cm apart. The lights were white and clear, forming a distinct spherical shape about the size of a tennis ball. He initially thought they were local boys with 'Nefa-lights' but realized the lights were too powerful and stationary. When he cautiously reached out to touch them, they vanished instantly. He recalls reading about similar experiences from other farmers in Sjælland, where such glowing orbs were seen passing tractors. Kierulff expresses curiosity about the nature of these lights.

Brændende lys over Kreta (Burning lights over Crete)

This section reports on a UFO sighting over Crete, sent in by a reader from Dragør. The observation was video-filmed on May 12, 2006, in Statos, 6 km west of Chania. The object was seen moving in a north-northwesterly direction for a couple of minutes, starting at 19:15. The reader speculates it was an object burning through the Earth's atmosphere and asks for its size and where it landed. The video file is too large to send via email and will be forwarded on CD-ROM. The editorial team is seeking other witnesses to this event and also inquiring with SUFOI's European colleagues.

Observation fra Vestjylland (Observation from Vestjylland)

This article details a specific observation from Spjald, Vestjylland, on April 16, 2006, reported to www.ufo.dk. The observers, a couple, described seeing an oval, luminous object flying in a circular path, changing position slightly but maintaining the same circular route. The object was estimated to be 2-3 times the diameter of the moon and was surrounded by a hazy or unclear area, yet its oval UFO shape was clearly visible. The circular path was described as a 'slanted circle upwards and downwards,' moving towards and away from the observers, with the light being strongest when facing them.

They watched the object for about an hour. It was still present when they went to bed around 2 AM, still circling in the same area. No sound or other unusual phenomena were noted. The observers speculated about its identity, noting that the nearest village was 8 km away and not in a direct line of sight, and Ringkøbing, the nearest large town, was 20 km away. The object flew at an altitude of approximately 40 degrees above the horizon, occasionally passing behind trees. Its speed was described as slow and steady. The observers considered the possibility of it being a literal flying saucer but also contemplated if it could be light reflections from the Nr. Lyngvig Lighthouse, though the direction didn't quite match. The weather was not clear, and the lighthouse was obscured by mist and clouds, making star-gazing impossible.

The article concludes by asking if others have seen similar phenomena and invites readers to share their experiences.

Send ufo-mail til familie, venner og bekendte!

This is a call to action, encouraging readers to forward the UFO-Mail newsletter to their contacts to increase its distribution and readership. It highlights that subscribers will receive free, non-binding updates on new Danish and international observations, photographs, celestial phenomena, and special offers on UFO materials.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The recurring themes in this issue are UFO sightings, unexplained aerial phenomena, and the investigation of such events by organizations like SUFOI and CUCO. The editorial stance appears to be one of open-minded inquiry, presenting witness accounts and expert opinions while acknowledging the possibility of natural explanations (like meteors) alongside the more mysterious aspects of UFO phenomena. The magazine actively encourages reader participation by soliciting their own observations and experiences.