The Cosford Incident
One night in 1993, a huge triangular craft was reported crossing England, flying low over two RAF bases. The Ministry of Defence investigated.
What was reported
On the night of 30 to 31 March 1993, people across England and Wales reported bright lights in the sky. Some witnesses, including police officers and military staff at RAF Cosford and RAF Shawbury, described a large, triangular object flying low and slowly, then speeding away. One said it shone a beam of light on the ground.
Nick Pope, who then worked on UFO reports at the Ministry of Defence, investigated and argued the case was of real defence interest.
Explanations offered
The Ministry of Defence concluded there was no threat. Investigators found that the earlier sightings that night matched the re-entry of a Russian rocket body, which would have looked like a formation of bright lights. The later, low-level sightings at Shawbury have not been fully explained.
- When
- 30–31 March 1993
- Where
- RAF Cosford, Shropshire, England
- Witnesses
- Police officers, military personnel and the public
- Status
- Mostly explained
Famous cases are real, widely reported events. Each file sets out what witnesses said and the explanations that have been offered, without taking a side.