Is the truth really in the MoD’s newly revealed X-Files?

UFO casebook reveals N-east sightings

By Andrew Whitaker

Published:

THEY have long been the subject of debate and controversy.

Are strange sightings in the sky proof of extra-terrestrial life or the result of an over- active imagination?

Now – for the first time – the Ministry of Defence has released its own “X-Files” giving details of UFO sightings across the UK.

MoD casebooks dating to the 1970s have been put on the UK government’s National Archives website in a bid to dispel claims of cover-ups over possible UFO sightings.

But the MoD is not investigating the reports as a ministry report from the 1980s makes clear that its sole concern is “whether they reveal anything of defence interest.”

Although the sightings in the North-east were from the 1980s, the files cover the period of 1978 to 2002.

Weird and wonderful UFO sightings in the North-east have included an airline pilot claiming he saw “a red rocket with a yellow trail” in the skies as he flewfrom Aberdeen.

The captain’s claim that he was above the clouds with a UFO in November 1984, was backed by his co-pilot and air traffic control at Sumburgh, which reported “a bright flash” in the sky just before the aircraft landed at its destination.

Another report, this time from Aberdeen Airport control, said there was what "looked like space debris” entering the atmosphere on January 25, 1985.

The files also record a report on the same date from North-east coastguards of “one spherical object, very bright with a long tail.”

The Kirkwall Coastguard claimed to have seen the object coming from the north-west and travelling towards the south-east, before splitting in two – a report confirmed by Aberdeen Coastguard.

Other North-east UFO revelations include a “round, crimson object” shining brightly in the sky along Old Deer Road, Peterhead in January 1982. And another was a 3ft to 4ft wide and 50ft-long “orange-yellow flame” seen from the operations room at RAF Kinloss on October 17, 1984.

Aberdonian Ian Taylor, who has studied UFOs for more than 50 years, claimed there had been many more sightings in the North-east over the years.

Mr Taylor, 60, said: “These figures only show a small number of UFO sightings, but I would have thought there have been hundreds in Aberdeen.

“There’s a famous one from 1956 when a huge gold metallic circle was spotted in the sky just to the north of Peterhead, which then drifted down the coast.

“It’s interesting to hear of other sightings, but people really need to check things themselves.”

There was no mention in the files of the village of Muchalls near Stonehaven, which hit the headlines in 2001 with a spate of unexplained sightings.

Among the reports by people in the village was a silent craft hovering eerily over a wood near Muchalls Castle before vanishing, and ghostly shapes moving around.

Dr John S. Reid, a lecturer in astronomy at Aberdeen University, said: “Objects have been falling from the sky since the earth was created, in fact many more in the early years of the solar system than nowadays.

“My take is that most UFOs are unidentified falling objects, not unidentified flying objects.

“Fortunately they're rare enough that as far as I know no one's ever been killed by a meteorite or falling space debris.”

Have you ever seen a UFO? e-mail: ee.news@ajl.co.uk