NOTE TECHNIQUE N°5: Compte rendu de l'enquête GEPAN n° 79/03

This technical note from GEPAN (Groupe d'Études des Phénomènes Aérospatiaux Non Identifiés), dated March 30, 1981, provides a detailed investigation into a series of luminous phenomena observed in the commune of V1 during the night of March 10-11, 1979. The investigation was initiated following reports from several witnesses, including the Armand family, who owned a fish farm, and a local restaurateur named M. Bernard, along with a couple, M. and Mme Raoul. Witnesses described a powerful, intense, and often violet or blue-green light accompanied by a loud, buzzing, or crackling sound. The light was observed near the fish farm, where it appeared to hover over a 10 KV power line. Following the event, significant physical anomalies were reported, most notably the death of approximately 1,800 kg of fish in one of the farm's basins, which exhibited signs of burns and lethargy. Other reported effects included temporary power outages, radio interference, and physical symptoms among witnesses, such as eye irritation and skin rashes. GEPAN investigators conducted a thorough analysis, including site visits, interviews, and consultations with EDF (the French electricity provider) and veterinary experts. While witnesses initially interpreted the event in various ways—some suspecting an unidentified aerial object—the GEPAN investigation concluded that the most plausible explanation was a series of electrical incidents on the aging 10 KV power line. The report suggests that the combination of poor weather conditions, the line's age, and potential insulation failures led to 'corona effects' and 'power arcs,' which would account for the intense light, the sound, and the electrical disturbances. The report acknowledges that while this hypothesis explains the majority of the data, the lack of a recorded power trip (disjonction) remains a point of uncertainty. The document also includes an appendix containing a report from a private ufological group that had investigated the incident prior to GEPAN's involvement, highlighting the contrast between the descriptive accounts of the witnesses and the subsequent interpretive narratives that developed.