An account in Pyrénées-Atlantiques, France

On August 12, 2013 at 12:08 AM, an entire family observes the silent movement of three very bright balls: the first two follow a linear trajectory then rise toward the clear sky, the third moves above the houses while changing color. The three phenomena disappear at the same time. This testimony of orange or colored luminous balls, moving slowly in the sky, clearly corresponds to the observation of Thai lanterns. The weather report for the day indicates a weak, variable wind, rather oriented from the southwest at the time of the observation, which corresponds to the overall movement noted toward the east. The irregular movement is not surprising in weak wind in an urban seaside area, due to the complexity of the various air currents of urban, thermal, or marine origin. The video posted for some time on YouTube was absolutely consistent with this hypothesis. The tourist location, the summer period, and the time are entirely favorable to the release of lanterns during celebrations. The witness is not convinced of this hypothesis. GEIPAN classifies this case "A": observation of Thai lanterns.