NUFORC Sighting 168353

Occurred: 1992-06-01 23:00 Local - Approximate
Reported: 2022-05-16 14:30 Pacific
Duration: 5 Minutes
No of observers: 5

Location: Near Jones Beach, NY, NY, USA
Location details: Approximately 5 NM nearly due South of Jones Inlet. South Shore Long Island, NY

Shape: Light
Characteristics: Lights on object

Stationary single bright red light reported as a flare, estimated alt 1k to 5k feet. Subsequent extreme acceleration and speed.

I was the boat coxswain for a U.S. Coast Guard search and rescue duty crew on shift at the U.S. Coast Guard Station Jones Beach. Around 2300, a report was received from a civilian pleasure boat captain of a flare South of Jones Inlet. His approximate location was 5 miles nearly due South of the inlet. We got underway in our 41' UTB rescue boat. Visibility was excellent, greater than 10 miles. We didn't have NVGs so cloud cover couldn't be well determined, but were not a factor in this observation. I do not recall the phase of the moon on this night. As we were approaching his position, from approximately 3 miles out, we could see the light he was reporting. It was a single red light, brighter than a normal aircraft position light. Its color was not that of a flare. Flares have a distinctive red color and pulse irregularly. This light was the same color red as a port position light and steady. In addition, it was stationary in the sky. It's perceived size and brightness did not change. Since we were still approaching it's position from approximately 3 miles out, its relative bearing was changing. Based on this, I estimate it was at least 1000 feet in altitude, but perhaps as high as 5000 feet. As we approached the reporting vessel, we pulled alongside and spoke with the captain. The civilian vessel had two people on board including the captain and our Coast Guard vessel had a crew of 3. Approximately 30 to 45 seconds after we pulled alongside the reporting vessel, the light exited to the East at an extremely high speed.

To me, this is the interesting part. There was no discernable acceleration curve from stationary to its max velocity. One second it was stationary in the sky, the next instant it was like a bullet shot out of a gun heading rapidly East. The light was out of site to the East in about 1 second. It's impossible to say if the light extinguished as it was exiting or if it simply got too far away to see. However, it appeared to remain lit far out to the East before the light was no longer visible.

We spoke with the Captain for a few minutes more and reported the sighting to the base station. The civilian captain reported via radio to the Coast Guard station that the light shot off to the West, but I corrected him and said it was to the East. He acknowledged the correction.

Posted 2022-06-22

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