Incident Report #680917 — Tenerife-Las Palmas, September 17, 1968

On September 17, 1968, at approximately 21:45 hours, a Spantax flight (IB-220) traveling between Tenerife and Las Palmas encountered an unidentified aerial phenomenon. The flight, operating at flight level 70 under clear weather conditions, was approached by a luminous object. The pilot, co-pilot, and a flight attendant observed the object, which was described as having a diameter of approximately 20 to 25 centimeters and emitting a strong red-blue light. The object illuminated the aircraft's cockpit and passenger cabin with an intensity greater than the flight instruments. It maintained a position near the left wing for approximately 45 seconds, performing rapid vertical oscillations and zig-zag movements before departing at high speed in the same direction from which it arrived. While some passengers noted a strange glow, they attributed it to potential weather conditions. Subsequent investigations by the Spanish Air Force (Ejército del Aire) confirmed that no other aircraft were in the vicinity and that the 8th Alert and Control Squadron detected no radar returns during the time of the incident. The official intelligence assessment concluded that the event could not be definitively explained, though it was compared to 'Foo-Fighter' or 'Ball Lightning' phenomena. The file was ultimately declassified in 1993, with officials noting that the discrepancies in witness testimonies regarding color and direction were likely due to human error and did not warrant further classification.