The Belgian UFO Wave

Between November 1989 and April 1990, Belgium experienced one of the most significant UFO flaps in history. Thousands of witnesses, including police officers and military personnel, reported seeing large triangular craft with bright lights. The Belgian Air Force scrambled F-16 fighters to intercept the objects on multiple occasions.

The Sightings

The wave began on November 29, 1989, when police officers reported a large triangular object with lights hovering over the town of Eupen. The object made no sound and moved slowly before accelerating away.

Over the following months, over 13,500 people filed reports of similar sightings. The objects were consistently described as large black triangles with lights at each corner and sometimes a central light.

Military Involvement

On March 30-31, 1990, the Belgian Air Force tracked an unknown object on radar and scrambled two F-16 fighters. The pilots obtained radar lock multiple times, but the object repeatedly evaded by changing speed and altitude rapidly, performing maneuvers that would be impossible for conventional aircraft.

The Air Force released radar recordings and acknowledged they could not explain the objects.

Investigation

The Belgian government took the sightings seriously and cooperated with civilian researchers. Major General Wilfried De Brouwer of the Belgian Air Force publicly acknowledged the mystery, stating the military could not identify the craft.

The Photograph

A famous photograph taken during the wave showed a triangular craft with lights. However, in 2011, the photographer admitted the image was a hoax, created with styrofoam. This admission, while damaging, does not explain the thousands of other sightings and the radar contacts.

Assessment

The Belgian UFO wave remains one of the best-documented UFO flaps in history. The military’s public acknowledgment, the radar recordings, and the sheer volume of witnesses make it a significant case regardless of the photographic hoax.