FOI 762/25

REQUEST

Pursuant to the Freedom of Information Act 2000, I am writing to request access to any information held by your force regarding an unidentified flying object (UFO) or unidentified aerial phenomenon (UAP) incident that reportedly occurred on or around 8 June 2008 in the vicinity of RAF St Athan, Glamorgan, South Wales.

My understanding of this incident stems from a presentation given by the Swansea UFO Network (SUFON) at the Blue Lagoon Festival in 2022, during which testimony from a pilot involved in the incident was shared. According to this account, the object observed lacked a heat signature, exhibited a translucent appearance with blue and red lights, and demonstrated intelligent controlled movement.

I am aware of the media coverage at the time, which often attributed the sighting to a Chinese lantern caught in high winds. However, the details shared in the aforementioned testimony suggest a more complex event that involved a police helicopter.

Specifically, I would like to request any information held by South Wales Police, including but not limited to:

Incident Reports: Any official reports filed by South Wales Police personnel (including those operating police aircraft or ground units) relating to the sighting of an unusual aerial object on or around 8 June 2008 near RAF St Athan.

    Logbook Entries: Relevant entries from police aircraft logbooks or operational logs that document the incident.

    Audio/Visual Recordings: Any audio recordings of air traffic control communications or cockpit voice recorders, as well as any visual recordings (e.g., from onboard cameras) captured by South Wales Police aircraft during the incident.

    Internal Communications: Any internal emails, memos, or other communications within South Wales Police regarding this event.

    Analysis or Assessment: Any internal analysis or assessment conducted by South Wales Police regarding the nature or origin of the observed object.

    Collaboration with Other Agencies: Records of any communication or information sharing with other agencies, such as the Ministry of Defence (MoD) or air traffic control, concerning this incident.

RESPONSE

We conducted a search on our crime and incident recording system (NICHE RMS) for all occurrences were ‘UFO’ and ‘UAP’ was mentioned in the summary between 01/06/2008 to 15/06/2008 within the Glamorgan area. This search retrieved no results.