An airline pilot's encounter with a UFO has left aviation authorities at a complete loss to explain it.
A "metallic cigar/rugby ball like" object passed within a few feet of his A320 Airbus near Heathrow airport when cruising at 34,000 feet.
The report into the incident states: "He was under the apprehension that they were on collision course with no time to react.
"His immediate reaction was to duck to the right and reach over to alert the FO (First Officer); there was no time to talk to alert him.
"The Captain was fully expecting to experience some kind of impact with a conflicting aircraft."
After the pilot had regained his composure he reported it to air traffic control but by this point it has disappeared.
A report into the incident - which happened on July 13 last year - has only just been published.
It was compiled by the UK Airprox Board but does not provide an explanation for what it could have been.
It simply says it is "not possible to trace the object or determine the likely cause of the sighting".
Meteorological balloons and other aircraft have been ruled out.
Dr David Clarke, the UFO consultant for the National Archives, told the Telegraph: "This latest sighting is interesting, because it is detailed and clear. These pilots don’t file these reports for something and nothing.
"There was obviously something there."
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२२ पुष, काठमाडौ । बेलायतको हिथ्रो विमानस्थलमा एक विमान चालकले युएफओ(अर्कै ग्रहबाट आएको वस्तु) देखेको बताएका छन् । आफ्नो विमानभन्दा केही फिटमात्र नजिकबाट उक्त युएफओ पार भएको उनको भनाई छ ।
विमान चालकले आफ्नो ककपिटको झ्यालबाट सिगार-आकारको एक मेटालिक वस्तु नजिकैबाटपार गरेको देखेको बताएका हुन् । उक्त युएफओ विमानकै उचाइमा रहेको बताएका छन् । यो घटना गत जुलाईको भएछनि बेलायती उडड्यन विभागले हालै मात्र उक्त तथ्य सार्वजनिक गरेको हो ।
विमान चालकले आफूले उक्त युएफओ देखेको तर निकै छोटो समयका लागि मात्र देख्न सफल भएको बताएका छन् । उनले उक्त वस्तु देख्ने बित्तिकै विमानका फस्ट अफीसरलाई सोधेका थिए, 'तिमीले त्यो वस्तु देख्यौ ?' भनेर । तर, उनले यसबारे कुनै सुइको नै पाएका थिएनन् ।
विमान चालकले उक्त युएफओ सिगार आकारको अर्थात् रग्बी बल आकारको भएको बताएका छन् । सो युएफओ चाँदी रंग र मेटालिक आकारको देखिएको थियो । विमान चालकले विमानस्थलका कर्मचारीलाई कुनै विमान भर्खरै उडेको थियो भन्ने प्रश्न गर्दा उनलाई उक्त समय कुनै विमान नउडेको बताएका थिए ।
अनुसन्धानकर्ताहरूले उक्त वस्तु हेलियम बेलुन हुन सक्ने अनुमान गरेका थिए । उनीहरुले उक्त वस्तु प्रकाशको कारणले देखिएको हुन सक्ने बताएका थिए । अर्थात् उक्त वस्तु युएफओ नभएको तर प्रकाशका कारणले विमान चालकले यस्तो देखेको हुन सक्ने बताएका थिए ।
