Secret files on UFO sightings (Gulf Daily News, 5-15-2008)

From The Black Vault Encyclopedia Project

The Clipping

LONDON: Aliens from outer space have been visiting Britain for years and UFO sightings doubled after the film Close Encounters was released in 1977, according to secret files collating reports by members of the public.

The alien craft come in all shapes, sizes and colours but their occupants are uniformly green, the Ministry of Defence files show.

The archives are the first batch of a four-year release programme of all the ministry's UFO files from 1978 to the present day, detailing hundreds of sightings of unexplained objects in the skies over Britain.

"Everyone became aware that the object was unidentified," the report on the incident said. "SATCO (codename for a controller with 14 years experience) reports that the object came in 'at speed,' made a touch and go on runway 27, then departed at 'terrific speed' in a 'near vertical' climb."

The incident is one of the more credible in the newly public files because it was reported by air traffic controllers, said David Clarke, a UFO expert who has worked with the National Archives on the document release.

"They were absolutely astonished," he said. "It was a bright, circular object, flashing different colours, and after it touched down it disappeared at fantastic speed."