Compilation of Unidentified Flying Object (UFO) Sighting Reports, 1997-1998

This document is a collection of Ministry of Defence (MOD) files concerning reports of Unidentified Flying Objects (UFOs) in the United Kingdom during 1997 and 1998. The file contains various 'Report of an Unidentified Flying Object' forms, loose minutes from the D/Sec(AS)/64/2 office, and facsimile transmissions from police and air traffic control authorities. The reports detail sightings by diverse witnesses, including civilian pilots, air traffic controllers, and police officers. Notable incidents include a report from 18 July 1998 regarding an intense white light observed near Lydney, a sighting on 24 January 1998 of a black triangular object with fins over the M4 motorway, and a report from 13 July 1998 by a single-engine pilot describing a diamond-shaped object over Barking, Essex. Another significant entry involves a series of reports from the Sheffield area on 31 May 1998, where multiple witnesses observed strange lights in the sky, which were initially suspected to be flares or hot air balloons. The document also includes internal MOD correspondence regarding the policy for handling these reports, emphasizing that information should be treated as unclassified and that reports from 'credible witnesses' should be assessed for air defense interest. The MOD acts as a 'nodal point' for the dissemination of this information. The file reflects the administrative process of collecting, logging, and reviewing these sightings, often involving coordination between the MOD, RAF stations, and local police forces.