The event occurred November 19, 2023, at around 2.30 p.m., when airport staff and several witnesses reported seeing a mysterious object in the sky. An Indigo flight was about to depart when a pilot reported a UAP, triggering a series of chain reactions.
In response to this unexpected sighting, the IAF activated its air defense systems and deployed fighter jets to investigate the presence of the unidentified object. However, the object disappeared shortly afterwards, leaving behind more questions than answers.
Two Indigo flights from Kolkata and Delhi were diverted due to the presence of the UAP. Flight operations were suspended for around an hour, causing major delays and disruption for passengers. The authorities have launched an in-depth investigation to determine the nature of the object and its origin. Aeronautical experts, as well as specialists in unidentified aerial phenomena, are investigating the mystery.
This incident takes place against a backdrop of growing concern about air safety, particularly in regions where the safety situation is complex, such as Manipur. The IAF is taking this incident very seriously and is putting in place additional measures to ensure airspace safety.
Conflicts in this region are often fuelled by territorial claims, ethnic disputes and questions of cultural identity. These tensions are at the root of clashes, sporadic violence and persistent instability. In addition, Manipur’s proximity to international borders, notably with Burma (Myanmar), further complicates the situation by facilitating arms trafficking and the movement of rebel groups.
In this context, air safety is a major issue. The movements of armed groups and state-led security operations can affect the reliability of flights and air infrastructure. It is therefore essential that the IAF and other security agencies closely monitor airspace and implement additional measures to guarantee safety.
The Imphal incident, occurring in such an environment, therefore raises additional concerns in terms of aviation safety, all the more so if it involves UAP or UFOs (Unidentified Flying Objects). The IAF, in taking this incident very seriously and reinforcing aviation safety, reflects the need to manage risk in a region already marked by significant security challenges.
International airports are high-security zones with dense air traffic. The presence of UAP in these areas raises major air safety concerns. This leads to questions about how these objects can interfere with regular air traffic, and what measures need to be taken to avoid potential incidents in airspace.
Moreover, governments and civil aviation authorities generally take such incidents seriously. Official investigations into such events attract international attention, as they could provide answers or, at the very least, guidelines on how to handle such situations.
Similar incidents have occurred in the past, such as those reported at Chicago O’Hare airport in 2006 or Gatwick airport in 2018. These events attracted significant media coverage and encouraged discussion about the nature of UAP and their potential impact on flight operations.
The 2017 incident near Quebec City’s Jean Lesage airport, where a drone collided with a commercial airliner, is often cited as an example of the risk of drones to flight safety. In this example, the aircraft sustained minor damage. Typically, this damage might include scratches or impacts to the fuselage, wings or, in more serious cases, the cockpit windscreen. However, specific details of the damage sustained by this aircraft are not widely reported in the public literature.
As far as more severe collisions are concerned, they remain rare, but the potential for serious damage is a major concern. If a drone is sucked into an aircraft engine, this could cause serious internal damage, possibly leading to engine failure.
A drone hitting the cockpit windscreen can injure pilots or compromise their ability to control the aircraft, especially if this happens during critical phases such as take-off or landing. Although less likely, a large drone could cause significant damage to the fuselage, affecting the aircraft’s structural integrity.
To date, there have been no widely reported cases of collisions between drones and commercial aircraft resulting in serious consequences or loss of life. However, concern remains high because of the potential for such events.
Moreover, the extent of damage in the event of a collision between an aircraft and a drone depends on several factors, such as: the size and weight of the drone, the speed of the aircraft and the point of impact on it. Indeed, such incidents are often attributed to drones, as this is a rational and more likely hypothesis. As long as the objects causing these accidents have not been clearly identified, we are still dealing with UAP. And to date, we lack knowledge of the objects involved in these phenomena, which would enable us to judge the severity and implications of a collision with them.
Finally, there is a growing public and research interest in these phenomena. This is fuelled by the declassification of government reports in the United States, and by increased media coverage of these subjects. An example of the manifestation of this global interest can be seen in the reaction of international media and online communities.
While the investigation continues, this incident remains unexplained for the time being. It underlines the importance of increased vigilance in airspace and the need to understand and respond effectively to these unidentified aerial phenomena. This article will be updated with new information as soon as it becomes available, particularly if the object is identified.
The Imphal incident is reminiscent of other landmark events in aviation history, where UAP have disrupted controlled air zones:
The drone incident at Gatwick, which occurred between December 19 and 21, 2018, led to the closure of the airport and the cancellation of numerous flights following reports of drones near runways. Despite a thorough investigation, no evidence of drone use was found, and the case was closed without resolution.
The case of Chicago O’Hare Airport (2006), where a saucer-shaped object was observed by several witnesses, created quite a stir in the media. The FAA attributed the incident to a meteorological phenomenon, although this explanation has been widely questioned.
Aboard Japan Air Lines Flight 1628 (1986), the crew reported seeing three mysterious objects following their aircraft, triggering an FAA investigation. These objects were described as accompanying the aircraft over a long distance, despite evasive maneuvers.
Washington D.C., 1952: from July 12 to 29, 1952, a series of UFO sightings was reported in Washington D.C., becoming known as the “Washington flap” or “Washington Invasion”. On July 19, 1952, at 11:40 p.m., an air traffic controller detected seven unidentified objects on his radar, about 24 km southwest of the city. These objects followed no known flight route and were moving in an abnormal manner. Several ground witnesses, including air traffic controllers and pilots, also observed the objects. These sightings made national headlines and prompted investigations by the USAF (United States Air Force) and Project Blue Book. However, these sightings were officially attributed to temperature inversions, although this explanation was disputed by some witnesses and experts.
The Imphal incident, echoing those in Chicago, Tokyo and Washington D.C., reaffirms that UAP in controlled airspace are not an isolated phenomenon. Such incidents are documented in various reports by international aviation regulatory bodies, such as the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), which recently published a study on drones in various national airspaces. This study highlights the challenges and issues involved in managing these phenomena in a global air safety context.
Ryan Graves is a former US Navy fighter pilot, and became famous for being one of the first active pilots to testify before the US Congress about UAP. He co-founded AFSA, or Americans for Safe Aerospace.
A non-profit organization run by military pilots, focused on aerospace security and national defense, with a special emphasis on unidentified aerial phenomena. AFSA was created to help fill gaps in aerial surveillance and to promote government transparency regarding UAP (Unidentified Aerial Phenomena). The association is also committed to supporting military and civilian pilots and aerospace workers impacted by encounters with UAP, while encouraging scientific research into the phenomenon. Ryan Graves and his association are actively working to “raise awareness of these crucial issues, and to ensure greater safety in the air and in terms of national defense” by integrating and investigating these phenomena.
At the U.S. Congressional Subcommittee hearing held on Capitol Hill on July 26, 2023 in Washington, D.C., several witnesses spoke of their experiences of possible encounters with UAP (Unidentified Anomalous Phenomena).
The second witness, Ryan Graves, was an F-18 pilot for more than a decade. In a sworn hearing before the House Oversight Committee, he testified that when he was stationed at Virginia Beach in 2014, sightings of these phenomena were so frequent that they were part of daily briefings. He recounted a situation where two aircraft had to take evasive action when encountering a UAP. The description was striking – a dark gray cube inside a transparent sphere – very different from the classic “flying saucer”.
Graves founded “Americans for Safe Aerospace” to create a support and education center for airline personnel affected by UAP encounters. He testified that the group has 5,000 members and gathered information from 30 witnesses. Most are airline pilots with major airlines. He stated that all UAP videos since 2021 are classified by the Pentagon as secret or of a higher security level. Graves also claimed that only 5% of UAP sightings by military and commercial pilots are reported by the pilots who spot them.
“If everyone could see the sensor and video data I have, there’s no doubt that UAP would be a top priority for our defense, intelligence and scientific communities” alleges Ryan Graves.
Reflections and new perspectives on the Imphal Incident
The Imphal incident, with its unsolved mysteries, invites pragmatic reflection on the challenges and opportunities presented by such unidentified aerial phenomena. Standing at the intersection of technology, aviation safety and scientific research, this event challenges us to consider new methods of investigation and understanding.
This incident raises important questions: how can technological advances be mobilized to better understand these phenomena? What are the implications for air traffic safety and regulation? And what role should scientific research play in the study of these cases of drones flying over sensitive installations?
Main picture: Image by Military_Material from Pixabay