Occurred: 2002-08-12 22:58 Local
Reported: 2002-08-18 02:56 Pacific
Duration: 6 seconds
No of observers: 4

Location: Rayleigh Essex (UK/England), , United Kingdom

Shape: Chevron


3 chevron/boomerang shaped craft in formation totally silent.

22:00 went into back garden with family to watch the reported meteor shower. We all sat leaning back looking up at the stars. Very clear still and quiet night. We were enjoying being able to see clearly the events of the evening, a rare treat for England we are normally shrouded in cloud. We watched as the meteors made their occasional streaks of light across the night sky. We had been watching for about 50 minutes when from the East at around the 55 degrees mark from the horizon appeared 3 dull orange/Smokey coloured objects. They seem to drop into view rather than approach from a great distance. The object came towards us in a tight V formation.

As they got closer they banked to their left giving us a very clear view of their entire underside. They crossed the sky in front and above us travelling from our left to right. At this point I thought I was looking at 3 large gliding birds the objects were completely silent. I quickly dismissed the bird thoughts as I looked closer I saw that the aircraft were similar to boomerangs with a bump or pip in the middle of the concave part of the boomerang which would be the back trailing edge.

As the 3 craft soared across the sky heading South West I stood up and walked forward to follow their progress, which would soon have been obscured, by neighbouring houses. I saw the formation head steadily along and then the craft to the left of the V formation seemed to flick into a quick shallow bank away from the other two which maintained exactly the same height and course. This was almost the same type of manoeuvre a pilot in formation may perform if he thought he was getting a bit close to another aircraft this convinced me that the craft were being piloted.

I listened for engine noise, there was none. I can only estimate the height they were at as between 1000 and 3000 feet their speed was faster than conventional aircraft maybe a low flying military jet would be about the same sort of speed but would have defend us and woken up the whole street. These things, whatever they were, were like 3 hangliders travelling at jet like speed. They had no collision lighting or any other illumination. The whole body of the craft giving off this dull Smokey orange glow as I've said before.

It has taken me a couple of days to make my mind up about reporting this I have always been very sceptical about the majority of reports. I am a serving Police Officer and regard myself as someone trained to give accurate accounts of what is seen.

Posted 2002-08-28

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