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| Version 3 | Version 4 |
|---|---|
| UFO spotted by police helicopter | UFO spotted by police helicopter |
| (about 2 hours later) | |
| A police helicopter crew has spotted what is described as an unusual aircraft in the Vale of Glamorgan. | A police helicopter crew has spotted what is described as an unusual aircraft in the Vale of Glamorgan. |
| The helicopter was above St Athan, which is home to an RAF base and close to Cardiff International Airport. | The helicopter was above St Athan, which is home to an RAF base and close to Cardiff International Airport. |
| But three-man crew could not capture any images before the object vanished over the Bristol Channel on 8 June. | But three-man crew could not capture any images before the object vanished over the Bristol Channel on 8 June. |
| South Wales Police said the helicopter did not give chase and described the crew as very experienced. The sighting has been reported for investigation. | South Wales Police said the helicopter did not give chase and described the crew as very experienced. The sighting has been reported for investigation. |
| The police Eurocopter, an EC135T21, was hovering in the sky at 0040 BST above the base, waiting to land. | |
| A police spokesperson said: "The crew are very experienced and responded in a professional manner in relation to what they saw. | A police spokesperson said: "The crew are very experienced and responded in a professional manner in relation to what they saw. |
| "In today's skies, there are a wide variety of aircrafts which come in a range of different shapes and sizes and in all probability, this sighting has just confirmed that one of these was in the area at the relevant time," the spokesperson added. | "In today's skies, there are a wide variety of aircrafts which come in a range of different shapes and sizes and in all probability, this sighting has just confirmed that one of these was in the area at the relevant time," the spokesperson added. |
| A Ministry of Defence spokesperson said it had heard nothing about the incident. | A Ministry of Defence spokesperson said it had heard nothing about the incident. |
| "But it is certainly not advisable for police helicopters to go chasing what they think are UFOs," the spokesperson said. | "But it is certainly not advisable for police helicopters to go chasing what they think are UFOs," the spokesperson said. |
| Cardiff International Airport said air traffic control provided a service to the police helicopter to ensure it had appropriate air space, including allowing it space to return to RAF St Athan to refuel. | Cardiff International Airport said air traffic control provided a service to the police helicopter to ensure it had appropriate air space, including allowing it space to return to RAF St Athan to refuel. |
| Meanwhile, a Cardiff pensioner says he also saw something "peculiar with lots of flashing lights" on the same day. | |
| George Withrington, of St Mellons, said he reported the sighting to police and was given an incident number. | |
| The ex-RAF glider pilot said he was sitting in his garden reading a book on 8 June when he spotted the object at around 1620hrs. | |
| Picture based on Richard Foxhall's sketch for his book | |
| "I was looking at an aeroplane overhead when I spotted this thing was in the corner of my eye. | |
| "It shifted direction very quickly, in the blink of an eye. | |
| "I looked at it for quite a while, i was watching it for at least 10 minutes. It flew off towards the east, towards Newport." | |
| Author Richard Foxhall who lives in the Nantlle Valley, Gwynedd has written a book about his experience of seeing a UFO in 1996. | Author Richard Foxhall who lives in the Nantlle Valley, Gwynedd has written a book about his experience of seeing a UFO in 1996. |
| Mr Foxhall has called for the report into the Vale of Glamorgan sighting to be made open to the public. | Mr Foxhall has called for the report into the Vale of Glamorgan sighting to be made open to the public. |
| "The helicopter crew, who are experienced, saw something which was in the air space around Cardiff International Airport and St Athan's air base. | "The helicopter crew, who are experienced, saw something which was in the air space around Cardiff International Airport and St Athan's air base. |
| "It this was Heathrow - there would be an inquiry," he added. | "It this was Heathrow - there would be an inquiry," he added. |
| Mr Foxhall said he saw a low flying object over Tal-y-Mignedd in Snowdonia over the May bank holiday weekend, 12 years ago. | Mr Foxhall said he saw a low flying object over Tal-y-Mignedd in Snowdonia over the May bank holiday weekend, 12 years ago. |
| He was returning home at around 2030 and saw an object similar to "nothing he had seen before". | He was returning home at around 2030 and saw an object similar to "nothing he had seen before". |
| Mr Foxhall contacted all local airports, RAF Valley and checked with the authorities and found no flight records had been logged. | Mr Foxhall contacted all local airports, RAF Valley and checked with the authorities and found no flight records had been logged. |