British UFO files trace sightings (and hoaxes)

UK National Archives

This photograph of an "unusual atmospheric occurrence," taken by a retired Royal Air Force officer in Sri Lanka in 2004, is among the 8,500 pages' worth of previously classified documents relating to unidentified flying objects that were released by the British government on Thursday.

 

LONDON — British officials on Thursday released about 8,500 pages of previously classified reports that document sightings of unidentified flying objects by the military and members of the public dating back to the 1950s.

The 35 large files, available via the Internet, mainly cover the period from 1997 to 2005 and include photographs, drawings and descriptions of flying saucer sightings, as well as letters that the Ministry of Defense sent eyewitnesses in response to their accounts.

Policemen, a soldier, a Royal Air Force officer and members of the public report sightings of objects including a "chewy mint shaped solid craft" and aerial objects resembling a "ring," a "jellyfish" and a "silver voile spin top."

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British UFO files trace sightings (and hoaxes)