An account in Vend�e, France

On January 1, 2016 at 12:16 AM, a witness observes the silent movement in the sky of luminous phenomena with a flame-colored hue. The objects move toward the NNE on a horizontal trajectory at low altitude. The observation lasts 5 minutes. No other testimony in the area is reported. The observation of orange balls or discs crossing the sky in a few minutes, on a weekend or festive night like New Year's Eve, strongly suggests Thai lanterns, probably released nearby at the end of a private party. The movement in groups of 4 or 5 aligned horizontally likely results from close launches in sequences, separated by a longer interval. The movement is observed toward the Northeast while the wind recorded in the area (at 8 km) is toward the Northwest. But from the observation point, the witness can hardly properly assess anything other than the South-to-North component of the movement. Consequently, GEIPAN classifies the case as B: probable Thai lanterns.