Aircraft contrail mistaken for a UFO in Calais, 1981

Summary

In January 1981 three witnesses at a care home in Calais watched an elongated, reddish-yellow object moving silently from east to west for three to four minutes, often hidden by clouds. Two of them had seen a similar phenomenon the previous day. Initially classified as unexplained, GEIPAN later re-examined the case with updated methods.

The conclusion was that it was most likely a condensation trail illuminated by the rising sun. The reddish colour, elongated shape and silent movement match high-altitude contrail characteristics. Not seeing the aircraft itself is common at such distances. The mention of 'two white trails' before the object's disappearance supports the hypothesis. GEIPAN reclassified the case as B.