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Yes, this is very interesting. A striking idea. I've seen flocking starlings too, and they do produce morphing blobs as described....  read more 

U.S. researcher Herbert TAYLOR sent us the following report in which an Australian pilot describes a phenomenon that bears a striking resemblance to the dark, shape-changing object flanked by smaller objects observed 14 years earlier by Captain HOWARD. The incident occurred on August 22, 1968.

The scan below is from an article published in the Australian Flying Saucer Review. No further references are given but we know that the same text also appeared in an article written by Australian veteran researcher Paul NORMAN and published on pp. 9-10 of the March 1979 issue of the British Flying Saucer Review.

Click images for larger versions.

Mr. TAYLOR added the following personal comments:

Pertaining to the Labrador/BOAC case, I want to inform you of a historical footnote on this matter. This concerns the late respected UFO researcher Lex MEBANE who told me on a number of occasions during the days of CSI (*) that he felt that a mirage of some type might account for the BOAC observation. He cited another report with certain similarities that he regarded as possibly being caused by a mirage as having possible implications on BOAC. I've long considered the possibility that the BOAC report might be an usual mirage-type phenomenon, which sort of puts me in line with the Condon Report conclusion, but their calling it a one-time event is hard for me to swallow.

(*) [CSI stood for Civilian Saucer Intelligence, a New York-based independent research group founded in 1954 and operational till 1959]

[Herbert S. TAYLOR is a long-time researcher who lives in Long Island, New York. He is best known for his series of articles on "Cloud Cigars" and "Satellite Objects", published in various issues of International UFO Reporter throughout 2004 and 2006.]

Our reply :

The similarities between the 1968 Zanthus report and the 1954 BOAC Labrador incident are indeed striking and one is inclined to believe that there is a single explanation for both reports. We are not sure though that the mirage explanation is the right one. The reasons for these doubts were already briefly discussed in our evaluation of the case (for a lengthy debate of the pros and cons of the mirage hypothesis we refer to www.nicap.org). Unfortunately, it is not remembered which "report with certain similarities" Alexander MEBANE was referring to in his conversations with Herb TAYLOR.

Any suggestion or information that may help explain these intriguing reports is much welcomed.

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