These last years [written 2002] it seems any rare reference to UFOs in the daily Press is generally a collection of nonsense and ridiculization. It was not always the case. Whatever country you are in, you may visit the archives of your local newspaper and exhume articles such as this one, from Nice Matin (France), 1973.
The article is by a reporter who explains that he investigated UFOs in 1969. and tells the first affair he heard: during a high altitude flight, a test pilot of the French Air Force met with a huge UFO with portholes through which he could see silhouettes of the occupants. The UFO followed the aircraft for two hours, responding to signals by the aircraft. The pilot was ordered to land but disobeyed.
The pilot lets the reporter copy his photograph of the huge UFO, but takes the original back, explaining that he risks his life mentionning the event. He explains that he was a veteran pilot from World War II, the Korean war and the Vietnam war, and shows the most impressive medal you can get in France, the Legion d'Honneur.
The reporter goes on by explaining that later, he was "helped" by some man who borrowed the picture and more documents from the reporter and disapeared. The reporter later found out this man directs a local office of the French counter-intelligence.
