Father Gill Papua New Guinea UAP
On June 26-27, 1959, Anglican missionary Father William Gill and 37 other witnesses observed a large disc-shaped craft with humanoid figures visible on top for over an hour. When Father Gill waved, the figures waved back. The case is considered one of the most credible multi-witness UFO encounters ever recorded.
In the summer of 1959, an Anglican missionary in Papua New Guinea had an encounter so remarkable, and so well-documented, that it stands as one of the most compelling UFO cases ever recorded.
The First Night
Father William Booth Gill was an Australian missionary stationed at the Boianai Mission in what was then the Territory of Papua. On the evening of June 26, 1959, he and several mission workers noticed a strange bright light in the sky that seemed to be approaching. As they watched, the light resolved itself into a clearly structured disc-shaped craft that descended to an altitude of perhaps 400 feet and hovered there.
What happened next defied all rational explanation. On top of the craft, clearly visible in the evening light, were four humanoid figures. They appeared to be engaged in some kind of activity, moving about the upper surface of the disc. Father Gill, ever the rational Anglican priest, carefully documented what he was seeing, even making sketches of the craft and its occupants.
The Second Night
The following evening, the craft returned. This time, Father Gill decided to attempt communication. He raised his arm and waved at the figures on the craft. To his astonishment, one of the figures waved back. He waved with both arms, and the figures responded in kind. When one of the mission workers brought out a flashlight and signaled, the craft appeared to respond with a slight swinging motion.
The witnesses watched this extraordinary exchange for approximately four hours over the two nights. Father Gill’s calm, almost casual acceptance of the situation is evident in his journals - at one point, he notes that he went inside for dinner because it seemed the craft wasn’t going to do anything more interesting.
The Evidence
What makes this case so compelling is the quality and quantity of witnesses and documentation:
- Father Gill immediately wrote detailed reports and sketches
- 38 witnesses signed statements describing what they saw
- The witnesses included teachers, medical workers, and community leaders
- Father Gill was considered an impeccably honest man by all who knew him
Father Gill never sought publicity for his experience and was somewhat bewildered by the attention it received. He maintained until his death that he had simply seen what he had seen, and he had reported it honestly.
Significance
The Boianai sighting remains one of the most difficult UFO cases for skeptics to dismiss. The witnesses were numerous, credible, and independent. The documentation was immediate and detailed. And Father Gill’s calm, almost scientific approach to the experience gives his account a weight that more sensational cases lack. The apparent interaction between the witnesses and the craft’s occupants is virtually unique in UFO literature.