The Irish Aviation Authority is investigating sightings of unidentified flying objects and bright lights off the coast of Ireland after receiving similar reports from several commercial pilots. According to BBC, at 06:47 local time on Friday, a British Airways pilot contacted the Shannon air traffic control to report something "moving so fast" and wanting to know if there were military exercises taking place in the area off the west coast of Ireland.
"It was moving so fast," she said, according to the Guardian. "It came up on our left-hand side and then rapidly veered to the north. It was a very bright light that disappeared at very high speed."
The pilot was told there were no military exercises in the area.
Other aircraft flying in the area also reported seeing UFOs and bright lights. A pilot for a Virgin Airlines flight from Orlando to Manchester suggested that it might be a meteor or another object re-entering the earth's atmosphere.
"There appeared to be multiple objects following the same sort of trajectory. They were very bright from where we were," he said to the Irish Times.
One pilot said the speed of the UFOs was "astronomical, it was like Mach 2" - which is twice the speed of sound.
The reports created quite a stir on social media, with many wondering if it was aliens visiting earth and others putting forward conspiracy theories.
Just heard that there was a UFO over Ireland last night. Does anyone have any info about it? pic.twitter.com/tGW334w2xG
- Taraustralis (@Taraustralis) November 12, 2018
It's Ireland's secret space program
- Irish Republic (@louiseSatoshi) November 12, 2018
Arw we prepared for an alien invasion?
- Gerard hayes (@Gerardh72699169) November 12, 2018
A spokesperson for the Irish Aviation Authority told the Irish Times it was investigating the incident and would file a report. "This report will be investigated under the normal confidential occurrence investigation process."
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