ALSACAT-2002-07-05-MULHOUSE-1
On July 7, 2002, the Swiss ufology group GREPI published on their website an observation narrative and witness call for other potential witnesses.
The witness, firstname Daniel, of Brussels, Belgium, told that on July 5, 2002, at approximately 10:30 p.m., he was returned to Brussels, coming from Switzerland, on the highway from Mulhouse to Luxembourg, at the level of Mulhouse, when he observed in the sky a huge flying object in the direction of the north.
He indicated that it was a dark triangle, with three white lights at the ends, like circular neon, and a red light in the center, also like a neon circle. The colors were very pure and very bright, they glistened slightly, he said they were "less static light than a normal bulb."
He stopped on the highway and observed the phenomenon. He was very impressed when it passed right over him. He then noticed that there "was also a body with the three lights."
The object apparently made no sound, it was in a horizontal position and moved slowly, it was sometimes stationary, on a straight path, the speed was faster when the object moved away. He says the approximate speeds were sometimes 0 km/h, usually 20 km/h and 80 km/h when it went away. It had to be at about 500 meters at the beginning of my observation, it came towards me, a moment I was just below (it was at a height of 60 to 100 meters) and then I could see very clearly the lights of this craft about 60 to 100 meters wide.
The witness then gave this information:
General direction of movement: from the northeast to the southwest, west of Mulhouse to Switzerland which is East of Mulhouse).
Apparent altitude between 60 and 100 meters.
Height on the horizon: 09:00 to 03:00 with hovering at 12:00.
Total observation time: 4 minutes total, 20 seconds when the object was vertically above him.
The observation ended when the object went away rapidly.
The weather was clear, clear sky, early in the night when it was already dark.
He says there was likely no wind at all and an outdoor temperature of 25°C.
He did not spot the moon.
He expressed that he would have liked to know if others had seen it because he felt "a bit alone" with this observation.
I and another local ufologist then relayed the call for witnesses by the GREPI, by a call for witnesses published in the regional newspaper L'Alsace for July 10, 2002. We then received more than a dozen reports of possible UFOs, but none was in the same sector and date and time.
| Date: | July 5, 2002 |
|---|---|
| Time: | ~10:30 p.m. |
| Duration: | 4 minutes. |
| First known report date: | July 7, 2002 |
| Reporting delay: | Minutes. |
| Department: | Haut-Rhin |
|---|---|
| City: | ? |
| Place: | From car driving then stopped on the A35 highway near Mulhouse, UFO in the sky. |
| Latitude: | 47.673 |
| Longitude: | 7.469 |
| Uncertainty radius: | 10 km |
| Number of alleged witnesses: | 1 |
|---|---|
| Number of known witnesses: | 1 |
| Number of named witnesses: | 0 |
| Witness(es) ages: | Adult. |
| Witness(es) types: | Male, not local. |
| Reporting channel: | Phone call to the Gendarmerie of Mulhouse, then email to the Swiss ufology group GREPI. |
|---|---|
| Type of location: | From car driving then stopped on a highway, UFO in the sky. |
| Visibility conditions: | Night |
| UFO observed: | Yes |
| UFO arrival observed: | ? |
| UFO departure observed: | ? |
| Entities: | No |
| Photographs: | No. |
| Sketch(s) by witness(es): | No. |
| Sketch(es) approved by witness(es): | No. |
| Witness(es) feelings: | Puzzled. |
| Witnesses interpretation: | A phenomenon he never saw before. |
| Hynek: | LN |
|---|---|
| ALSACAT: | Possible landing plane. |
[Ref. gri1:] UFOLOGY GROUP "GREPI":
|
This Friday, July 5, 2002 at 10:30 p.m., I was on the highway from Mulhouse to Luxembourg, returning from Switzerland and on my way to Brussels. At the level of Mulhouse, I observed in the sky a huge flying object (to the north), it was a dark triangle, with 3 white lights at the ends (like circular neon) and a red light in the center (also like a neon circle). The colors were very pure and very bright, they glistened slightly (less static light than a normal bulb).
I stopped on the highway and I observed the phenomenon. I was very impressed when it passed right over me. I then noticed that there was also a body with the three lights.
The object apparently made no sound, it was in a horizontal position and moved slowly (sometimes stationary) on a straight path, the speed was faster when the object moved away (approximate rate: sometimes 0km/h usually 20km/h and 80 km/h when going away). It had to be at about 500 meters at the beginning of my observation, it came towards me, a moment I was just below (it was at a height of 60 to 100 meters) and then I could see very clearly the lights of this craft about 60 to 100 meters wide.
General direction of movement: from the northeast to the southwest, west of Mulhouse to Switzerland (East of Mulhouse).
Apparent altitude between 60 and 100 meters.
Height on the horizon: 09:00 to 03:00 with hovering at 12:00.
Total observation time: 4 minutes total, 20 seconds with the object vertically above me.
How did the observation end?: completed the object went away rapidly.
Weather: clear weather, clear sky, early in the night (but darkness already installed)
Wind: I think almost zero.
Outdoor temperature: 25 °.
I have not seen the moon.
I called the police Mulhouse but apparently I was the only one to report the phenomenon. Yet we were several people on the highway (I think about ten motorists), and other vehicles also slowed down.
If anyone has seen the same phenomenon this July 5 at 10:30 p.m., I'd be glad to hear about it because I am bit lonely with my observation. I had not had anything to drink that day and I do not do drugs. This is the first time I see such a phenomenon and I'm sure I have not been dreaming.
Daniel (Brussels - Belgium)
[Ref. ffu1:] FEDERATION FRANCAISE D'UFOLOGIE:
|
| Date: | Friday, July 5, 2002 |
|---|---|
| Time: | 10:30 p.m. |
| Duration: | ? |
| Department: | Haut Rhin, France |
| Location: | Motorway, near Mulhouse |
| Number of witness: | 1 |
| Number of objects: | 1 |
| Shape of object: | Triangle |
| Other objects: | No |
| Sound: | No sound |
| Color: | Three circular white lights with one circular red light in the middle. |
| Flashes, rays: | No |
| Color of flashes, rays: | No |
| Contrail, exhaust, ejection: | ? |
| Color of contrail, exhaust, ejection: | ? |
| Moon visible: | ? |
| Clouds: | ? |
| Rain: | ? |
| Wind: | ? |
On July 7, 2002, G.R.E.P.I announces an observation that occurred two days ago near Mulhouse and calls for additional witnesses.
Here are the circumstances of this observation as they were reported to G.R.E.P.I:
"This 5th of July 2002 around 10:30 p.m. I was on the motorway on my way back from Switzerland and going in the direction of Brussels. While I was at the height of Mulhouse I observed an enormous flying object in the sky, it was a triangle formed by three white lights and a circular red light in the middle. The colors were very pure and that resembled neon lights in a circular shape, the object did not seem to make any noise and moved slowly. I stopped on the motorway and observed the phenomenon, I was very impressed when it passed right above me. At this time I was able to note that there was also a body with these three lights. I called the police force of Mulhouse but apparently I was the only one to report the phenomenon. However there were several people on the motorway. If anybody saw the same phenomenon this July 5 around 10:30 p.m. I would be happy to learn about it because I remain somehow alone with my observation."
"I think I have seen the object to a hundred meters altitude and it must have measured at least 100 meters wide. I had not drunk anything that day and I do not take drugs, it is the first time that I see such a phenomenon and I am sure that I have not been dreaming."
[Ref. uwb1:] "UFOWEB" WEBSITE:
UPDATED ON 11/08/02
2002/030: Observation on July 5, 2002 in Mulhouse department 68.
Source Fédération Française d'Ufologie
Date: Friday, July 5, 2002
Time: 10:30 p.m.
Duration of observation: ?
Department: Haut Rhin
Place of observation: Highway, near Mulhouse
Number of witnesses: 1, maybe others
Number of objects: 1
Shape of objects: Triangle
Other shapes: Non
Noise: None
Color: Three white lights and one red light in the center.
REPORT:
On July 7, 2002, the G.R.E.P.I reported a sighting two days ago near Mulhouse and at the same time called for other possible witnesses.
Here are the circumstances of this sighting as reported to the G.R.E.P.I:
"On July 5, 2002 around 10:30 p.m. I was on the highway returning from Switzerland and heading towards Brussels. At the height of Mulhouse I observed in the sky a huge flying object, it was a triangle formed by three white lights and a red light in a circle in the middle. The colors were very pure and it looked like neon lights in the shape of a circle, the object apparently made no noise and was moving slowly. I stopped on the highway and observed the phenomenon, I was very impressed when it just passed above me, then I could see that there was also a body with these three lights. I called the Mulhouse police but apparently I was the only one to report the phenomenon. We were however several people on the highway. If anyone saw the same phenomenon on July 5 around 10:30 p.m. I would be happy to hear about it because I remain a bit alone with my observation."
"I think I saw the object about a hundred meters high and it must have been at least 100 meters on a side. I hadn't had anything to drink that day and I don't take drugs, that's the first time I see such a phenomenon and I'm sure I didn't dream."
Call to witnesses: thanks to the web users to report to us all the unusual observations that occurred in that department during that time. Thanks!
[Ref. ldl1:] "LUMIERES DANS LA NUIT" UFOLOGY MAGAZINE:
Patrick Straub on the one hand, Jean-Jacques Goetschy on the other hand, pointed out to us an article from l'Alsace on July 10, which recounts an observation made on Friday 5, around 10:30 p.m., by a motorist who was heading towards Colmar, returning from Switzerland. "is about a huge flying object, a triangle formed by three lights, with another in a circle in the middle". No noise, slow moving.
The motorist stopped, and the thing passed above him, at an altitude he estimated at around a hundred meters. He was then able to see that there was "a body", at least 100 m on a side, which carried these lights. He reported his sighting to the police. Apparently, he was the only one to do so, which seems abnormal to him: "There were several of us on the highway...".
[Ref. lcn1:] LUC CHASTAN - "BASE OVNI FRANCE":
General features
| Num Base: | 222 |
| Département: | Haut Rhin (68) |
| Place of observation: | Mulhouse |
| Latitude: | 47.75 |
| Longitude: | +7.333 |
| Date of observation: | 05 July 2002 |
| Hour: | 22:30 hours |
| Duration (HH:MM:SS): | N.C. |
| Weather: | No weather indication |
| Type of observation: | Visual: Distant |
| Nbr of witness(es): | 1 |
| Official investigation: | No |
Features of the object
| Nbr of object: | 1 |
| Type of object: | Triangle |
| Size: | 100 meters |
| Color: | not defined |
| Luminosity: | Not specified |
| Visual characteristics: | Numerous lights |
| Speed: | Slow |
| Movement/Displacement: | In straight line |
| Object on the ground: | No |
| Instantaneous disappearance: | No |
Observation
Around 10:30 p.m. I was on the highway coming back from Switzerland and heading towards Brussels. At the height of Mulhouse I observed in the sky a huge flying object, it was a triangle formed by three white lights and a red light in a circle in the middle. The colors were very pure and it looked like circle-shaped neon lights, the object apparently made no noise and moved slowly. I stopped on the highway and observed the phenomenon, I was very impressed when it passed right above me. I was then able to see that there was also a body with these three lights. I called the Mulhouse police but apparently I was the only one to report the phenomenon. We were however several on the highway. I think I saw the object at a height of a hundred meters and it must have been at least 100 meters on a side.
Sources
Les OVNI vus de près by Gross Patrick ** http://ufologie.net [*]
[*] This is the old URL of the home page of my own website.
[Ref. jtr1:] JOSEPH TRAINOR'S "UFOROUNDUP":
Summer 2002 has been a busy time for UFOs in France.
"In June 2002, a UFO was accidentally photographed near Tosne," in the department of Haute-Savoie in eastern France, about 100 kilometers (60 miles) east of Grenoble. "The photo shows a flat object in an oblique position moving in a rectilinear path. However, the witness did not see anything strange in the sky when he first took the photo."
"A peculiar luminous phenomenon was observed Friday, July 5, 2002, between 9 p.m. and 11 p.m., above the Vosges Mountains" in eastern France, "notably visible at Le Thillot, but it was also observed in Alsace, in the region of Mulhouse."
"Eight red lights (UFOs) were observed in Pertuis, La Mothe d'Aigues," in the department of Vaucluse, the same evening, Friday, July 5, 2002, between 10:30 p.m. and 11 p.m. "The UFO 'flotilla' was divided into two groups of four objects each. Both were triangular formations. They flew towards Cucuron."
"At Argonnay in Haute-Savoie, a yellow UFO was seen twice, first on Monday, July 8, 2002, at 11:45 p.m., and again, two nights later, on Wednesday, July 10, 2002, at 11:25 p.m. The object, a yellow luminous sphere, was at a distance of 300 meters (1,000 feet) from the eyewitnesses. Its flight was rectilinear and stable. Also, the light increased in intensity just before it disappeared."
"On Sunday, August 4, 2002, at Mont St. Michel de Braspart, in Bretagne-Finisterre" on France's Atlantic Ocean shoreline, "five egg-shaped objects passed over the trees at a very great speed, going in the direction of the nuclear plant at Bronnilis, which is currently being dismantled" by the French government.
"On Thursday, August 8, 2002, a UFO was photographed over the city of Douai in the department of Nord. The photo was published in the newspaper Nord Matin the very next day." (See the French newspapers L'Alsace for July 6, 2002 and Nord Matin for August 9, 2002. Merci beaucoup a Thierry Garnier de France OVNI pour ces nouvelles.)
[Note: the observation at Le Thillot in the Vosges has nothing to do with that of Mulhouse, 55 km away from Le Thillot; it is not the same phenomenon and the explanation is not the same (probable discotheque projectors).]
[Ref. mye1:] UFOLOGY MAGAZINE "LES MYSTERES DE L'EST":
|
Call for witnesses Published on the UFOweb site
"On July 5, 2002 around 10:30 p.m. I was on the highway returning from Switzerland and heading towards Brussels. At the height of Mulhouse I observed in the sky a huge flying object, it was a triangle formed by three white lights and a red light in a circle in the middle. The colors were very pure and it looked like neon lights in the shape of a circle, the object apparently made no noise and was moving slowly. I stopped on the highway and observed the phenomenon, I was very impressed when it just passed above me, then I could see that there was also a body with these three lights. I called the Mulhouse police but apparently I was the only one to report the phenomenon. There were, however, several of us on the highway. If anyone saw the same phenomenon on July 5 around 10:30 p.m. I would be happy to hear about it because I remain a little alone with my observation. I think I saw the object at a hundred meters of height and it had to be at least 100 meters on a side. I didn't drink anything that day and I don't take drugs, it's the first time I've seen such a phenomenon and I'm sure I didn't dream.
Please send us (at the address below) any additional information you may have knowledge of!
FFU@[obsolete].fr or at 06 [obsolete] Or at the address of the headquarters of the French Federation of Ufology: Fédération Française d'Ufologic [obsolete address]
Currently the French Federation of Ufology is hearing more than 10 witnesses to this sighting.
Note: A similar appeal appeared in the newspaper "L'Alsace" of 07/10/2002
Gilles Munsch
Call for witnesses Published in the newspaper "L'Est Républicain" of Saturday 07/20/2002 (Vosges)
An unusual luminous phenomenon was observed on Friday July 5, 2002 between 9 p.m. and midnight above the Vosges mountains, particularly visible from the locality of Le Ménil-Thillot.
This phenomenon has also been observed in Alsace, in the Mulhouse region, where several independent witnesses have come forward following calls for witnesses published in the newspaper l'Alsace.
An identical phenomenon was observed the same day at the same time in Carpentras (Vaucluse).
The Comité Nord-est des Groupements Ufologiques is therefore looking for all evidence likely to corroborate these observations in order to identify the nature and origin of this phenomenon.
You can give your testimony by calling preferably in the evening at 03. [obsolete], or by but he has the following address: cnegu@[obsolete].fr or on the site: http//membres.lycos.fr/cnegu [obsolete]
Gilles Munsch
[Ref. spa1:] UFOLOGY GROUP "SPICA":
| City | Date and hour of observation | General shape Identification |
General color Hypothesis |
Conclusion |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| MULHOUSE | Friday 5 July 2002 at 10:30 p.m. | triangular Unidentified |
Several colors None |
Unsolved -lack of info |
|
Through the regional newspaper L'Alsace for July 10, 2002, a local member like me of the Fédération Française d'Ufologie (French Federation of Ufology, FFU) had a call to witness published about a sighting report in our area, the Haut-Rhin department:
|
Following this call to witness, the FFU secretary had received a dozen phone calls, including some for sightings at other places and other dates.
First, let me explain about the location of the sighting.
The highway going from Switzerland to Luxembourg, the mention "at the level of Mulhouse", indicate that it was on highway A35 - these is no other possibility:
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On this satellite map, you can spot the E35 highway, starting at the border near Basel in the lower right corner, going roughly northeast near Bartenheim, Rixheim, and bypassing Mulhouse in the East.
Take a look at the red line I added: this is along the landing strip of the international airport of Basel - Mulhouse.
Here is a closer view:
|
I inserted the red line next to the airport's main strip, and the yellow line next to the A35 highway. Everyone can see that they are almost perfectly in line.
Daniel was going to Belgium, he was on that highway, he was going approximately north-north east, while airliners in landing approach came right in front of him, and they do pass exactly above your head when ou are at the right place on the highway.
But first they are more distant, facing you. At this time they seem to be hovering, motionless. It is just an illusion. They move, but not sideways, so they seem to hover.
Then they pass above your head, they seem to go faster. And finally, they "go away", actually a bit on your left, to land. At this time, they really seem to go faster, they do not appear motionless anymore at all.
This is exactly what Daniel indicated with the speeds he mentioned: 0 km/h, then 20 km/h, then 80 km/h - Although this is underestimated and partly an illusion, it fits landing airliners.
Of course, Daniel said it was "at the level of Mulhouse", so it would be about 10 to 17 kilometers more towards Mulhouse than the place I indicate. However, Daniel is from Belgium, and for a foreigner driving there, you get Mulhouse signs on the highway right at the exit of Basel, then again at the Bartenheim exit (my picture below), so you would naturally say "at the level of Mulhouse" for any place on the highway between Basel and Mulhouse.
|
In his report, Daniel gives this direction:
General direction of move from the North-east to the South-West, from the West of Mulhouse to Switzerland which is East of Mulhouse.
This also fits. Landing airliners seen from the highway there go roughly NNE to SSW. Roughly from West of Mulhouse, bypassing Mulhouse, towards Switzerland. Where to Swirtzerland? In the direction of Basel, SE - not "East", as "East" is in Germany. Daniel knew that he came from Basel and that Basel in in Switzerland, he believed to be "East" when it is "East" only in the few first kilometers of the highway, that is, he would not have been "at the level of Mulhouse" but rather at the level of Bartenheim.
Daniel gave clock elevations: At the start, 09:00, then 12:00 when it was above head, then 03:00 when it went away.
|
This also fits: the airliner is low when it comes in the distance facing him, it is then flying above his head, and it seems low again as it is actually landing.
Was Daniel aware that he was driving right at the place were airliners are on the end landing of their landing approach? He does not say anything about htat in his report. He does not mention the airport, and he says nothing to discard a plane or show that he considered a plane at all.
Now for the description of the phenomenon.
Daniel mentions a "triangle". But this should not be interpreted as the exact shape of the object; as any experienced ufologist is supposed to know, this is only related to the facts he saw three white lights. Three white lights are always in a triangle, by definition.
Daniel actually never said he saw a triangular shape. What he said was that when the thing passed abovehead, he was able to distinguish that the lights were on some "body"; but he does not give a shape of this body. So this must in no way be called a "UFO like in the Belgium flap's huge flying triangle". This is not as if Daniel had said that he saw that the edges of the body formed a triangular object.
This is an example of an object with three lights in a trinalge and attached to "a body":
|
So, I am convinced Daniel saw a landing plane.
A reader alerted us at the time:
From: [Name, firstname] [X]@club-internet.fr
Sent: Wednesday, July 10, 2002 8:11 PM
Subject: the ufo of Mulhouse (7/5/2002)
Good evening,
I read with interest the report about a UFO in my region (Mulhouse). I did not witness the phenomenon, but I know that not far from this highway is one of the largest nightclubs in the Grand Est which is particularly known for its light effects visible from quite a distance, games of lights which have already been the cause of many UFO misintepretations (I myself have already believed to have seen one when it was only the lights of this discotheque). The witness driving towards Brussels, it is very likely that he is not from the region and does not know this specificity.
I don't know if that corresponds to what he saw, but that's what I spontaneously thought when reading this report, especially because of the place and time.
Best regards, [X]
It is perfectly true that there is a very large nightclub there, which at times uses discotheque projectors, visible from the highway. But in this case I don't think it matches the testimony. For example, these motorized projectors made circles or round trips or were fixed, and cannot explain the "body" reported.
(An anecdote: in the entrance of this nightclub, there was at the time a mannequin representing "the Roswell alien".)
Up to this point, I've assessed this sighting as if it were the only one in the area at the time.
One of the concordant testimonies concerns an observation from Mulhouse on the same July 5, 2002, around 10:35 p.m., which is the subject of this other case file. There had been a third one, but we did not investigate it.
Because of this other testimony, I cannot exclude that the explanation for this one of an airliner in landing approach is not the correct one.
Possible landing plane.
* = Source is available to me.
? = Source I am told about but could not get so far. Help needed.
| Main author: | Patrick Gross |
|---|---|
| Contributors: | None |
| Reviewers: | None |
| Editeur: | Patrick Gross |
| Version: | Create/changed by: | Date: | Description: |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0.1 | Patrick Gross | March 7, 2023 | Creation, [gri1], [ffu1], [uwb1], [ldl1], [lcn1], [jtr1], [spa1]. |
| 1.0 | Patrick Gross | March 7, 2023 | First published. |
