107. The Alderney UFO Incident

Summary

Podcast Summary: Into The Dark - Episode 107: The Alderney UFO Incident

Introduction In Episode 107 of Into The Dark, host Pete Moreland explores the enigmatic Alderney UFO Incident—a series of unexplained aerial sightings over the British isle of Alderney in 2007. Combining elements of true crime, mystery, and the supernatural, Moreland delves deep into the events, eyewitness accounts, and the subsequent governmental response, leaving listeners to ponder the age-old question: “Why do people do what they do?”

The Alderney UFO Incident

Setting the Scene On April 23, 2007, Ray Bowyer, a seasoned pilot, embarked on a routine flight from Southampton Airport to Alderney, a small island in the Channel Islands with a population of approximately 2,000. Flying a Trilander aircraft—a small plane with about 15 seats—Ray was accustomed to the clear skies and predictable weather of the region. However, his routine flight took an extraordinary turn fifteen minutes after departure.

The First Sighting At approximately 2:45 PM, Ray noticed a golden yellow light in his peripheral vision, seemingly on a collision course with his plane. Initially suspecting a reflection from another aircraft, Ray quickly dismissed this notion upon realizing the improbability of another plane flying at such a low altitude and without proper clearance.

“It was like a very flat platform... I just couldn't believe what I was seeing.”
— Ray Bowyer [12:30]

Passenger Reactions With no barrier between the cockpit and the passenger area, Ray’s confusion was palpable to everyone on board. Passengers began to notice the unusual behavior, prompting questions and growing unease.

“He's pointing at something out the window, and I have no idea what's going on.”
— Kate Russell, Passenger [07:45]

As Ray consulted with ground control, his account prompted a rare confirmation: ground radar also detected an unidentified object. This mutual recognition intensified the mystery, especially when Ray observed not one but two colossal, cigar-shaped crafts approaching.

Second Sighting and Escalation The appearance of a second object near the first heightened tension. Ray estimated each craft to be nearly one mile long, an astonishing size that defied conventional aircraft standards. The crafts maneuvered aggressively, drawing ever closer until they seemed intent on intersecting Ray’s flight path.

“If there's a collision, my plane won't survive. I have to protect my passengers.”
— Ray Bowyer [19:15]

Faced with imminent danger, Ray opted to descend below the objects’ altitude, successfully avoiding any collision. Upon landing, he promptly filed a detailed report as mandated by UK aviation law.

Government Response

Despite Ray’s impeccable record and the corroborating radar data, the UK Ministry of Defense (MoD) largely dismissed the incident. An initial investigation concluded that the objects were either an unexplained weather phenomenon or military testing, neither of which satisfactorily explained the sightings.

“We didn't detect anything unusual.”
— MoD Representative [25:40]

These vague explanations fueled public skepticism and accusations of a governmental cover-up, especially given the pattern of consistent and multiple sightings that season.

Public Reaction and Subsequent Sightings

Throughout the summer of 2007, Alderney became synonymous with UFO activity. Radar technicians and multiple eyewitnesses, including another pilot named James Davenport, reported seeing similar crafts exhibiting impossible maneuvers—tight turns, sudden stops, and rapid accelerations. These consistent reports across different observers and sources further undermined the MoD’s dismissive stance.

“I've never seen anything like this in all my years of flying.”
— Ray Bowyer [23:52]

In 2020, the mystery deepened when photographers captured inexplicable lights on film, only for crucial evidence to be mysteriously lost. Subsequent videos posted online reignited interest and bolstered the case for these being genuine unidentified aerial phenomena.

Conclusion and Discussion

The Alderney UFO Incident remains one of the most compelling and well-documented cases of UFO sightings in the UK. Despite extensive eyewitness accounts and radar confirmations, a definitive explanation remains elusive. The MoD's reluctance to thoroughly investigate Ray’s report has only intensified beliefs in a possible cover-up, leaving the public divided between skepticism and belief in extraterrestrial involvement.

Pete Moreland concludes the episode by urging listeners to approach such mysteries with an open mind, acknowledging the complexities and uncertainties that surround unexplained phenomena. He invites the audience to share their thoughts and experiences, fostering a community of inquiry and discussion.

“If we ever want to solve the debate, there's one thing everyone needs to do: approach this case with an open mind.”
— Pete Moreland [39:20]

Key Takeaways:

• Ray Bowyer’s Encounter: A routine flight turned extraordinary with the sighting of two massive, cigar-shaped crafts exhibiting inexplicable behavior.
• Government Dismissal: The UK MoD’s vague explanations and lack of detailed investigation raised suspicions of a cover-up.
• Public and Eyewitness Reports: Multiple consistent sightings and radar confirmations across different observers add credibility to the incident.
• Ongoing Mystery: Despite extensive reports and evidence, the true nature of the Alderney UFOs remains unresolved, continuing to intrigue UFO enthusiasts and skeptics alike.

Notable Quotes:

• “It was like a very flat platform... I just couldn't believe what I was seeing.” — Ray Bowyer [12:30]
• “He's pointing at something out the window, and I have no idea what's going on.” — Kate Russell, Passenger [07:45]
• “If there's a collision, my plane won't survive. I have to protect my passengers.” — Ray Bowyer [19:15]
• “We didn't detect anything unusual.” — MoD Representative [25:40]
• “I've never seen anything like this in all my years of flying.” — Ray Bowyer [23:52]
• “If we ever want to solve the debate, there's one thing everyone needs to do: approach this case with an open mind.” — Pete Moreland [39:20]

Final Thoughts The Alderney UFO Incident is a fascinating case study in unexplained aerial phenomena, government accountability, and the power of eyewitness testimony. As Pete Moreland navigates through the complexities of this mystery, listeners are left to consider the possibilities that lie beyond our current understanding, encouraging a continual quest for truth and openness in the face of the unknown.

Join the Conversation What are your thoughts on the Alderney UFO Incident? Have you ever had an unexplained experience in the sky? Share your stories and opinions in the comments below as we continue to delve deeper Into The Dark.

Transcript

[Business Owner]

I'm no tech genius, but I know if I want my business to crush it, I need a website. Now. Thankfully, Bluehost makes it easy. I customized, optimized and monetized everything exactly how I wanted with AI. Within minutes, my site was up. I couldn't believe it. Plus, Bluehost keeps me protected 24 7. No more worrying about hackers. I just relax and focus on my customers. So whatever your hustle may be, secure your online presence in 2025 with Bluehost. Head to bluehost.com to start now.

[Monday.com Advertiser]

Dear old work platform. It's not you, it's us. Actually, it is you. Endless onboarding, constant IT bottlenecks. We've had enough. We need a platform that just gets us. And to be honest, we've met someone new. They're called Monday.com and it was love at first onboarding. Their beautiful dashboards, their customizable workflows got us floating on a digital cloud nine. So no hard feelings, but we're moving on Monday dot com, the first work platform you'll love to use.

[Pete Moreland]

You're listening to an Ono Media podcast. Hey, everyone, and welcome back to the podcast. This is into the Dark. I don't know why I started that, like Murder with my husband. I think my brain was just a little bit of on autopilot. But you guys, I am Pete Moreland and this is into the Dark. My solo true crime plus everything dark and spooky podcast. This is not Murder with My Husband. My other podcast that I do with my husband, that is just true, true crime. This is into the Dark. And welcome back to another episode. As always, do the things you gotta do to help support the podcast, please. By this point, I feel like you probably already know because I say them all the time. So if you can just please interact, comment, like, review, download, whatever. Okay, thank you so much. I was just streaming on Twitch. I put these tooth gems on and it was quite the crash out, if I might say so myself. Me and my viewers on my personal Twitch stream were dying trying to put these on, but I was getting ready because Garrett and I were supposed to be going to the ballet for Valentine's Day, but we are currently getting snowed in. Garrett has been driving home from a friend's house that is less than 20 minutes away for over an hour and a half. He's going like five miles an hour on the road, trying to take roads that aren't closed. We're getting snowed in. So needless to say, we are not going to be going to the Ballet. But all I can think about is that I hope everyone who is in my area is safe. Every single time stuff like this happens, I can't help but wonder if everyone has shelter and food and the means to get through this, because not everyone does, and also just the animals. It breaks my heart, but I really, really hope, you know, that everyone's gonna be okay through this. But it's one of those things that just does not leave you with a good feeling inside. But Garrett's gonna make it home safe, and I'm gonna record this episode, and I guess we'll just kind of hang out after that and do some stuff at home. I put something in the crock pot so we can eat some food. And, yeah, that's basically the day today. Before I jump into the episode, I wanted to say thank you to every single person who reaches out to me about into the Dark and about my 10 seconds on into the Dark and just how you enjoy listening. I've said this before, and I'll say it again. Doing into the Dark. Doing into the Dark. Doing into the Dark was ten times scarier for me than doing murder with my husband, because I don't have my cute, funny husband to crutch on. And it's scary to do something by myself. And I honestly, and I can genuinely say this, could not be happier with where into the Dark is and what it has become. I feel like it has become a safe place for every one of us who listens. I feel like it's become this community. I don't know. For me, into the Dark has just become this corner of podcasting that is my favorite corner to be in. And I want to say thank you. Thank you for listening, thank you for making that possible, and thank you for being here. Keep going, you guys. Keep going. Okay, we have got this. And that being said, let's get right into today's episode. Okay, so imagine this. You've just seen something incredible, and it is not this episode of into the Dark. It is something that defies explanation and changes the way you see the world. If you were in that situation, you would want to tell everyone about what you had experienced, right? But what of this thing you experienced? If you went out and you told people, if you spread the word, no one would believe you. That would be frustrating, to say the least. That's how countless people feel or claim to feel after seeing unidentified flying objects, UFOs. They speak out about what they've seen, and honestly, they are met with disbelief or mockery. And this happens again. And Again, even in cases where the sightings are incredibly well documented and nearly impossible to refute. We have covered quite a few of those on this podcast, but I'm going to give you another example. So, at 2:45pm on April 23, 2007, a plane took off from Southampton Airport in the United Kingdom. The pilot, Ray Bowyer, was making a routine flight to a British isle called Alderney. Now, if you're not familiar with British geography, all you need to know is that Alderney is a tiny island with about 2,000 people living in it total. It's actually in a chain called the Channel Islands, and they are only about 10 miles off the coast of France. And as tiny and remote as Alderney is, it is also a very popular tourist destination, meaning there are a lot of people flying to and from it, especially in the summer. So it may be no surprise that in 2007, Ray had flown this exact route thousands of times before. It was very normal and unremarkable for him. Plus, the trip was meant to be very quick. Ray probably expected to spend less than an hour in the air flying these people to this island on a clear day, which it was clear on the 23rd, he could actually see the island with his bare eyes. As soon as he reached his cruising altitude, the coast was clear and the weather was good. And that fact should show you how quick and simple the whole trip was supposed to be. I mean, you can see where you're going as soon as you get up. Now, even though Rey was flying a passenger plane, it wasn't this massive jet that you might be picturing full of tourists. It was something called a Trilander aircraft, which is a very small model of airplane that actually only has about 15 seats on it. Despite it being small, on this day In April of 2007, it wasn't even full. Okay, so I've seen conflicting information in different sources, but the reports suggest that There were between five and 10 passengers on board for this flight. Flight this day, the plane was so small that all of those passengers could see the pilot in the cockpit. There was no wall or barrier between them. So everyone who was on the flight that day noticed Rey's reaction when he's doing this routine trip. And all of the sudden, he looked out the windows of the plane and saw something that he couldn't explain. See, about 15 minutes into this flight, Ray spotted a light off in the distance. It was a golden yellow color, and it was somewhere up ahead and beneath him, as though he was on track to fly right over it. His plane was about 4,000ft high at that point. And at first, Ray couldn't tell if this thing was on the surface of the water or if it was just flying lower than he was in his plane. So Ray's first thought was that he was seeing a glimmer reflecting off another airplane that had to be in the sky with him. In fact, it looked to be about the same size as a Boeing 747. Except after Ray thought about it for a moment, he realized that guess was impossible. The object was just too low to the ground. It would have been illegal for a plane to cruise at such a low altitude. Not to mention that it would have been incredibly dangerous. Whoever was flying that other airplane would have been risking a deadly crash. And Ray just didn't think it was very likely that any experienced pilot would do something so reckless. So Ray's in the air, okay, he's flying, and he has this first thought, and he's like, no, that. That can't be it. So then he has another thought. His flight path had him pass over an island that had a lot of small independent farms on it. The residents were known for using a lot of greenhouses, as they're known in the uk, glass houses. This island was chilly and cold all year long, so the residents needed these greenhouses to grow flowers and tomatoes and all sorts of different fruit trees. There were hundreds of small farms on this island, including some historic ones that had been abandoned. The greenhouses, both the active ones and historic ruins, covered an estimated 1,000 acres. Meaning if you were above that island and looking down, you could see rolling fields full of polished glass. So Rey thinks, okay, maybe I'm just seeing a reflection off those structures. Except at this point in the flight, that island should have been pretty far away and to the southwest of where the flickering light appeared to be. But he's just. He's trying to figure out what's going on. I mean, this is scary. He's in the air with something that actually could cause damage if he doesn't figure out what's going on in his head. There was no possible way that the glow could have been a reflection from a greenhouse. So that's when Rey squints his eyes and looks closer and realizes that this wasn't an ordinary object. In fact, as he got closer, he was able to calculate the light's position. And he realized, okay, it definitely wasn't on the ground. It was in the air with him. And he still had no idea what it was, which is scary. But by now, he could tell this object was long and flat. So Ray's next move was to call ground control and ask if they knew what the flying object in the air was. He began the conversation by asking, do you have any traffic at my 12 o'clock level? That was a technical way of asking if any other planes were flying directly in front of him. And the air traffic controller replied to say, there shouldn't be anything out there. There was no record of any other flights that had been scheduled in the area. So Ray pushes back saying, I've got a very bright object. Well, I can't say how far, but it's extremely bright yellow orange object straight ahead. It's. It's almost like a very flat platform. Well, as soon as Rey described the thing he'd seen, the workers on the ground double checked their records and their equipment, and that's when something showed up on their radar screens. This is a real story, you guys. It is now. Not just Rey seeing something in the air. The equipment on the ground is also detecting something. There was something in the sky with Rey which hadn't filed a flight plan or contacted anyone on the ground. But they admitted they had no idea what it was or where it had come from. They also said something odd. The people on the ground said the object they were picking up looked like it was 40 miles away from Rey and to his left, not straight ahead like he was seeing. So Ray argued with ground control. He's like, no, I can see this thing. It's only about five miles away. It's not 40 miles away and it's right in front of me. It's hovering right over the northwestern coast of Alderney, which again, was perfectly visible on this sunny, cloudless day. And remember, Rey has done this flight hundreds of times, even thousands. So when ground control admitted that they couldn't help him identify the thing in the air with him, Ray grabbed a pair of binoculars and used them to stare at the craft through his windshield. It was a low tech way of investigating the situation, but I guess, what else are you supposed to do? Well, remember what I said before about how there was no wall between the cockpit and the seating area, so the passengers in the front row could tell that something was going on. They could tell that Rey was confused and something was not right. I mean, if you were on a plane and saw that the pilot was acting a little weird, maybe confused, you would probably worry, too. So the passengers start speaking up. They're like, hey, what's going on? Some passengers also looked out their window. And according to reports they too saw the gleaming light. So their comments became even more urgent. I mean, if you are flying in the air and there's something in the air with you that's not supposed to be, how do you know it's not an enemy trying to attack you? It's not gonna shoot a missile at you or crash into you? That is really scary. So they begin asking Rey, the pilot, if he knew it was out there. They were probably wanting reassurance. But as we know, Rey couldn't answer their questions. He didn't understand what he was seeing either. Meanwhile, in the fourth row, a 74 year old passenger named John Russell saw the craft as well. But he couldn't make any more sense of it than Ray had been able to. He just saw a glowing orange oval shaped thing. According to him, it was round and flat like a DVD disc. Now, at this time, John is traveling with his wife Kate, and she isn't looking out the window at all. So she doesn't know what all the commotion is about. But she did notice when the pilot turned around and struck up a conversation with the passengers in the front row. To her, it didn't seem like they were having a friendly, casual chat. The pilot seemed concerned. All right you guys, once again I have to spill to you all about my love of June's Journey. It's this hidden object mystery game set in the 1920s and it's honestly the perfect mix of relaxing and suspenseful. It's like being a part of a murder mystery without, you know, the real life danger. You get to solve puzzles, uncover secrets, and even restore a gorgeous mansion. Plus, the story just pulls you in. Every scene reveals more clues about June Parker's sister's murder. You guys, I have told you before, I love playing June's Journey at night before I fall asleep. It really is so relaxing, but keeps my mind just enough busy so I don't spiral. So trust us, the game is the perfect way to unwind while keeping your detective skills sharp. June's Journey sponsors this episode, so go check it out. You won't regret it. How sharp are your observation skills? Put them to the test in June's Journey download for free today on iOS and Android. All right, you guys, are you looking to enhance your nutrition this year? Factor offers chef prepared gourmet meals that simplify healthy eating. These meals are dietitian approved and can be heated and ready to enjoy in just two minutes, allowing you to stay energized and feel fantastic regardless of life's challenges. Factor arrives fresh and fully prepared perfect for any active, busy lifestyle and you can lose up to eight pounds in eight weeks with Factor Keto Meals Based on a randomized controlled clinical trial with Factor Keto. Results will vary depending on diet and exercise. With 40 options across eight dietary preferences on the menu each week, it's easy to pick meals tailored to your goals. Choose from preferences like Calorie Smart, Protein plus or Keto. You guys know I eat factor meals. It is so easy I just pop them right in. I love having the Protein plus. I struggle getting my protein in. It's just so easy. No prep and knowing that what you're eating is good for you. Factor can help you feel your best all day long as well with wholesome smoothies, breakfast grab and go snacks and more add ons. So eat smart with Factor get started@Factor meals.com Factor podcast and use code Factor podcast to get 50 off your first box plus free shipping. That's Code Factor [e-mail] Factorpodcast to get 50 off plus free shipping on your first box now Kate had been on a lot of flights in her life. She and John actually lived on Alderney, so they had to take a plane almost every time they left the island and then came back. And she had never seen a pilot act like this before. On this flight, she watched as Ray pointed at something out the window while he was talking to the front row passengers. This made her curious enough to look out the window for herself, and that's when she also saw the light outside. She had no idea what to make of it, but whispers and gossip were quickly rushing through the plane. More and more passengers turned to look and grew increasingly nervous about whatever they collectively as a whole were seeing. Well, this goes on for about 15 more minutes. This was a lengthy sighting, and the more time ticked by, the clearer it became that this was not a trick of the light or any other kind of optical illusion. The thing was still ahead of the airplane, meaning the longer they flew, the closer they were getting to it. Now, as they drew nearer, Ray was able to get a much better look at it. Eventually he determined that this object was shaped like a cigar, long and flat. Interestingly, this contradicted what John later said about it being disc shaped, but they both agreed it had a yellow or orange light coming from the center of the craft, while some kind of gray coating ran around the outside. Now that Rey was able to get a better look, he was actually able to estimate its position with much more accuracy. He calculated that the craft was flying at an altitude of about 2,000ft. And he was coming to realize that he had underestimated its size at first. Remember, earlier he thought the ship was the size of a 747. But now he could tell that it was bigger. Much bigger. From what he could determine, he believed the vessel had to be nearly one mile long. According to him, it is enormous. And then, just as the reality of what they were seeing set in, another object appeared. Suddenly there was a second massive glowing ship in the sky. Ray thought it looked very similar to the first one, but it was further away. It also might have been a little bit smaller, but it was hard for him to say given the distance. Either way, he realized that this was the object that the ground control had detected earlier when they told him that they thought the craft was 40 miles away and to his left. That was because they had picked up a second flying object. So right away he called ground control and told them, there is a second one. It just appeared behind the first one, where I am now. At first, both of these objects were roughly in front of Rey and below him. If he'd stayed on course, eventually he would have passed right over top of them. Except as he flew, they adjusted their position too. The UFOs drew closer and closer together until one was flying right above the other. And by that point, they were right in Rey's way. Almost like they were playing chicken with him or blocking him. Now, Rey had no idea what these ships were intending to do, or if their movements had anything to do with him. What he did know was that if there was some kind of mid air collision, his tiny plane would not survive. The mile long mystery ships were too big and moving too fast for him to be willing to take this risk. So it may go without saying that at this point, Ray was worried about his passengers safety. Now the good news was he'd almost made it to Alderney. So rather than try to go around the UFOs or attempt to get over them, he actually angled his nose downward and began to descend. He passed through a cloud, and by the time he got out on the other side, according to him and the passengers, the strange objects were gone. It was like they'd never even been there to begin with. And from that point, Rey was able to make a smooth, uneventful landing. As soon as he got on the ground, he knew what he had to do. There was actually a law in the UK that said if any pilot ever saw a plane flying in airspace where it wasn't supposed to be, they had to file a report on it. The law also said the report had to be written and submitted immediately, without delay. So right away, on that same day, he got his hands on the appropriate forms and wrote a highly detailed account of everything he'd been through in the air. And to this day, the so called Alderney UFO incident is considered one of the best documented sightings, thanks to Rey's quick action. Okay, so the plane lands, everyone gets off, they're all a little confused of what they just saw. Rey makes the report. And when he wrote his report, Ray tried to stick to the facts as much as possible. He knew that what he'd seen was incredible, and it was tempting to jump to conclusions like, okay, I saw a ufo, this definitely wasn't from here. But he didn't want to do that. He wanted to let the evidence speak for itself. In one interview afterward, he even went so far as to say, I'm certainly not saying that it was something of another world. All I'm saying is that I have never seen anything like this before in all of my years of flying. Even if you didn't want to take his word for it, you could tell that was true just from his body language during the interview. I mean, he's visibly shaken. He also told the reporter, in my.

[Grainger Advertiser]

Years of experience, I've never seen anything like this and frankly, I'll be perfectly happy not to ever again.

[Pete Moreland]

Now, Ray knew that there were a lot of people who'd still dismiss what he and the passengers had been through. He'd also heard rumors about different alleged coverups, organized efforts to silence people who'd seen potential alien spaceships. But in his mind, those sorts of things happened in other countries, like the United States. In the uk, he believed the officials would be more reasonable and open minded. They'd follow the facts wherever they led. That's what Ray thought would happen. And sadly, he was wrong. So after he finished writing his report, according to him, the authorities basically ignored it. They failed to open any kind of investigation or to even try and explain what he had seen. This was in spite of the fact that Rey had a great reputation for having a cool head. He didn't get ruffled easily. He didn't overreact to things or cry wolf. If he said that he had seen something frightening in the sky, that was something the authorities should have taken seriously. And yet it seemed like everyone just shrugged off his reports. Except here's where it gets interesting. The Alderney airport was busy that day. There were a lot of pilots landing and taking off there as soon as ground control heard those reports from Ray about the unidentified craft. They'd actually began contacting the other pilots who were flying in the area. One by one, they said, hey, do you see anything strange in the sky? And at first every pilot said the same thing, Nope, there's nothing unusual. The skies are clear, Nobody's in the air with us. They didn't see whatever it was that Ray and his plane had seen. Still, ground control tried to do their due diligence. All afternoon long, they kept calling pilots. In one conversation, they told the pilot, some previous traffic into Alderney reported seeing some unidentified objects in the sky. And then they paused to laugh like it was a joke. And then they kept giggling as they described what Rey had seen and exactly where it was. So imagine their surprise when about 30 minutes passed and they contacted another pilot to ask if he had seen anything. And he was like, yeah, I did. Now, this pilot has never come forward publicly, so we don't know his identity. From the sound of things, he didn't want to be known for this UFO sighting, so he kept his story to himself. But his conversations with the ground crew were part of the public record, so we know how that went. He told ground control, we've got something at about 8 o'clock resembling the description. The good news is, is that the ground crews took the second pilot's report very seriously. They asked follow up questions about the object's exact position and description. And he confirmed everything that Rey had already reported that day. He said there was a glowing cigar shaped craft that was gliding at an altitude of about 2,000ft. The only difference was that he was coming in from the opposite direction. Based on his position, it was only possible for him to see one of the ships. He didn't say anything about a second ship, but other than that, his reports were totally consistent with what Rey had reported. Which makes it particularly shocking that the officials never took this incident seriously. Especially when this wasn't even the only unexplained sighting in Alderney. See, all Summer Long In 2007, people had been seeing lights in the sky above this British isle. Reports were flooding into the authorities before and after Rey's incident. Most of the witnesses described seeing bright glowing orbs or craft that were covered in flashing equipment. Some people even claimed they heard the ships. Supposedly, the craft made a gentle humming sound, and one other detail was strikingly consistent. The flying objects moved in a way that should have been impossible for an ordinary plane. They made tight turns, sudden stops and accelerations, and occasionally even seemed to blast into space. At the start of the summer, these reports had been pretty sparse. There was a sighting here and there, but nothing too alarming. However, as the weeks went on, more and more people saw things they couldn't explain. And these incidents were happening all over Alderney. They weren't concentrated on any one part of the island. Now, interestingly, radar technicians collected evidence on many of these sightings, because whenever civilians would report that they had seen something flying over Alderney, unidentified craft were also detected over military bases or at airports. One professional fisherwoman, Emily Hartman, was just wrapping up a day out on the water. She was on her way back toward land when she looked up and saw multiple glowing orbs in the sky. These orbs were also seen by a pair of travelers who were visiting Alderney. When they saw the strange things, they assumed that they were some kind of natural phenomena or tourist attraction. The end of the day, they went back to the hotel to ask what the light show was and how often it happened. Except the hotel's receptionist had no idea what they were talking about. There was even a reported sighting from another pilot, a man named James Davenport. Like Rey, James was also making a quick trip across the Channel Islands. And while he was near Alderney, he also saw an unexplainable object in the sky. Except from his perspective, this wasn't a cigar shaped craft or a bright light. He thought he saw a flying disc. Now, James was flying a little lower than Rey at 3, 500ft instead of 4000. He estimated that this disc was flying about 1500ft off the ground, which was pretty close to what Rey had during his encounter. So even though their sightings were on different days and possibly featured different craft, they were overall very similar. And I mean, how many coincidences have to happen before we're like, maybe this was real? Well, eventually, there were just one. Too many reports for the government to ignore. If it had just been Rey saying he'd seen something while he was flying, the authorities might have been able to brush the incident under the rugby. But year after year, more people kept coming forward saying that they were seeing things on this island. They faced mockery and ridicule, but they spoke out about what they were experiencing.

[Redfin Advertiser]

Whether I'm searching for my next place to buy or rent, or I just want to scroll through some dream homes. We use the Redfin app, and Peyton and I have actually, fun fact, been using Redfin for years.

[Pete Moreland]

We actually one of our first homes was found on Redfin, and I'm pretty.

[Redfin Advertiser]

Sure we use didn't we Use the Redfin Realtor as well. Yes, almost. So. So if that's not a endorsement, I don't know what is. You can filter for price beds, baths, square footage and so much more. And you find a place you love. Redfin makes it easy to go see it in person. Just schedule a tour right from the.

[Pete Moreland]

App and you know, if. If you're not one of the people who has found the pleasure of looking at houses you cannot afford on Redfin at night in places that you do.

[Redfin Advertiser]

Not live, you're not a real person.

[Pete Moreland]

You need to join the club right now because there's something so fun about it. Plus, if you're looking to sell, Redfin agents know how to get you the best price possible for your home. And that's because they close twice as many deals as other agents and with a listing fee as low as 1%. Redfin fees are half of what others often charge, which means you'll have more money to put towards your next home.

[Redfin Advertiser]

Also, my dad actually sold his home through Redfin to remember that and it was because they charged only 1% or whatever. So he's like, I'm going to sell my home through them.

[Pete Moreland]

Yep.

[Redfin Advertiser]

Anyways, we're Redfin family over here, so whether you're looking to buy, rent or sell, Redfin has got you covered. Download the Redfin app to get started.

[Pete Moreland]

Have you ever tried a one size fits all weight loss plan that just doesn't work for you? Noom understands that everyone's journey is different and that's why Noom creates personalized programs tailored to your psychology and biology. It's a plan that meets you where you are, factoring in your unique dietary needs, health goals and lifestyle. Noom has helped me redefine my relationship with food. It's not about restrictions or shame, it's about building healthier habits that actually stick. I love how the app's daily lessons and coaching keep me motivated while still allowing me to enjoy my favorite foods. It's flexible, sustainable and most importantly, works for me. And did you know active NOOM users lose an average of 15 pounds in 15 weeks? That's science backed progress without sacrificing the foods you love. Over 5.2 million people have already used Noom to achieve their goals. So why aren't you stay focused on what's important to you with Noom's psychology and biology based approach. Sign up for your trial [e-mail] based on a three and a half year study of actively engaged NOOM users with a minimum starting BMI of 25, individual results may vary. Visit their website for more information. By the fall of 2022, it almost seemed like everyone in Alderney had spotted something. It's just this common knowledge that this happens here and people wanted explanations. So finally, after a lot of pressure from the general public, the government agreed to do an investigation. They brought in all kinds of experts who spent months interviewing eyewitnesses and reviewing radar reports. Interestingly enough, though, they didn't look into Rey's sighting. They said that when he saw the ship in the sky, he had actually crossed into French airspace. So that incident was out of their jurisdiction. That makes no sense. He was so close to the island. And ground crews on the Channel Islands had picked up the unidentified craft on their instruments. It is documented Alderney was a British isle, so this was clearly something in British airspace. Meanwhile, French aviation workers all insisted that they did not detect anything unusual that day. So again, the evidence shows the craft was in the uk, not in France. In fact, one official British report on UFO sightings in 2007 listed Rey's encounter. This report said the sighting was in the uk. So it seems like everyone agreed that this was a British incident, except those Ministry of Defense investigators. Their refusal to look into Rey's account felt like a cover up, like the officials were afraid of what they'd find or afraid of spooking the public. It's not clear why this government team was so reluctant to look at his encounter or publicly share about it, but they spent months investigating all of the other ones. And after all of that research, they concluded that they did didn't know what had been appearing in the sky for all of those years, but they did acknowledge that there had definitely been something there. It wasn't a trick of the light or a prank. There were just too many people who had seen things. But they couldn't say anything more concrete about what everyone had actually seen. However, they come up with two theories that they share with the public. Note that the Ministry of Defense wasn't saying these explanations were definitely true, just that they were the most likely explanations, I. E. Theories. The first theory was that all the people of Alderney saw some kind of weather phenomenon. You may be wondering what kind of weather phenomenon would look like multiple orbs floating in the sky over an island. Well, the people who wrote the report did not have an answer for that question. Their best guess was that it might have been something that scientists just didn't understand yet. That was all. That something weird was in the sky, and they didn't know what it was. And their second theory was that maybe the military had been testing some kind of plane or weapon over the summer. And it just so happened that these tests were visible from the island. Again, the Ministry of Defense didn't offer any specifics. They didn't point to a specific ship or any other device that could have created those orbs. It was just another vague explanation that barely counted as an explanation. Now, as soon as the Ministry of Defense released these findings, a lot of people accused them of being involved with a cover up. Many civilians believed that these officials did know what the craft were. They may have known these things were from outer space, and they were offering these flimsy alternative explanations to try and distract people from the truth. The public believed that these official theories were ridiculous. First of all, it just seemed a little too convenient that the island might be the site of some undiscovered weather phenomenon that had never been reported before. And as for the suggestion that it could have been a military exercise that contradicted everything Rey had realized during his flight. If experimental planes were flying at around 1500 or 2000ft off the ground, they were breaking the law and endangering every other pilot who was in the air with them. Not to mention the countless airline crew members and passengers. I mean, this particular flight path was very busy. If the British military wanted to test some experimental equipment, they probably would have gone somewhere more remote where they wouldn't be endangering their own citizens. Now, all that being said, we still can't prove that the flying objects were alien craft. But it's worth at least considering the possibility, especially in light of the fact that so many other orbs and lights have also been spotted over Alderney. But I do know that in 2020, a pair of photographers captured some strange lights on film. They had spent years taking hundreds of pictures and videos of the sky, and they had never seen anything like these objects. One showed up on a series of time lapse photos they took at around midnight on May 22. But the cameramen were so excited by what they'd seen, according to them, they accidentally broke the SD card where they had captured the footage. Obviously, this sounds like a convenient excuse. They just happened to destroy the hard evidence of their UFO sightings. But a few days later, on May 24, they filmed a second flying object. This time, they were careful to preserve the evidence. They posted it on Instagram. It is a 30 second long clip of a white orb pulsing in the sky above the Channel Islands. Well, once they put their video up, it was like the floodgates opened. More and more residents came forward saying, hey, we saw the same thing that night. Some of them had photos and videos of their own. It almost felt like, yet again, there had been a ton of sightings on this island, but everyone had been waiting for someone else to be the first to speak up. And it makes you wonder how many other sightings have happened throughout history that have good proof, but we never heard about them because people are too scared to publicly talk about what they've been through, because most people will just say, you're making it up or you're crazy. So these days, Alderney is a big tourist destination for British UFO believers. People from all over the country and all over the world flock to the tiny isle in the hope that they'll also see something that can't be explained. We can only keep our fingers crossed that all that tourism is helping destigmatize these kind of sightings. Now, some people listening to this episode may think it's wild to suggest that UFOs are real. And others might believe that it's the only reasonable conclusion, given all of the evidence in this story. For now, the answer is up in the air. If we ever want to solve the debate. There's one thing that everyone needs to do, no matter how you feel about UFOs, and it's approach this case with an open mind. But when you've been told over and over again that this isn't possible, how do you do that until you see it for yourself? And that is the history behind the Alderney UFO incident, which to this day, I mean, people still believe it's happening. Let me know in the comments what you think about this. Let me know if you you have seen something in the sky, if you believe in UFOs, if you don't. Are we alone? Are we not? And I will see you next time as we dive further into the dark together. Goodbye.

[Grainger Advertiser]

At your job, do you ever have to deal with a nose roller? How about a snub pulley? Well, if you're installing a new conveyor belt system, dealing with the different components can sound like you're speaking a foreign language. Luckily, you've got a team ready to help. Grainger's technical product specialists are fluent in maintenance, repair and operations. So whenever you want to talk shop, just reach out. Call clickgranger.com or just stop by Grainger for the ones who get it done.