Valentich Disappearance
1978 disappearance of a pilot who reported being followed by a UFO
| Valentich Disappearance | |
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| Date | October 21, 1978 |
|---|---|
| Location | Bass Strait, Australia |
| Type | Disappearance |
| Investigation | |
| Key witness | Frederick Valentich (missing) |
| Status | Unexplained |
Pilot Frederick Valentich radioed air traffic control that an unidentified, brightly lit aircraft was following his light plane at close range and behaving erratically before his transmission was cut off by an unidentified metallic scraping sound; neither Valentich nor his aircraft was ever found despite an extensive search.
Assessment
An official Australian government investigation was unable to determine a cause, though it noted Valentich’s flying history included some irregularities that led some investigators to suspect possible disorientation or a staged disappearance; no wreckage, distress signal, or body was ever located, and the case remains formally unresolved.
[1]See also
References
- ^ Australian Department of Transport, Valentich disappearance investigation report, 1982 (released).