Unidentified object passes close to aircraft during climb

Summary

On October 8, 2000, during the climb phase of a flight bound for Grenoble, the pilot and co-pilot saw a round object shoot past the cockpit at extremely high speed, only meters away. The close pass raised serious concern about a possible collision with the aircraft's tail. Subsequent investigations ruled out explanations such as a weather balloon or a large bird. The object could not be identified, and the incident remains an unresolved case that momentarily jeopardized flight safety.