On March 8, 1994, multiple individuals reported a sighting of multiple UFOs in West Michigan, United States. The UFOs were described as resembling flickering Christmas lights, consisting of five or six objects, cylindrically shaped or circles with blue, red, white and green lights.
Radar data
On March 11, press covered comments from the chief of the local National Weather Service office, who acknowledged radar data suggesting a "fast moving phenomenon" over Lake Michigan on March 8; He reported the sighting to the National UFO Reporting Center. He relayed eyewitness reports that featured "red and green sets of lights" which performed "some rather erratic movements at times". The sightings were reported to 9-1-1 and were observed by police and a National Weather Service radar at Muskegon County Airport.
Witnesses
Reports of sightings of March 8 were followed by a subsequent "UFO flap". According to Chicago Tribune, in the aftermath, UFO sightings were reported by over 300 witnesses in 42 counties of Michigan (including Muskegon, Ottawa, Berrien and Allegan counties).
Comparison to Marian apparitions
On March 20, experts from the National Weather Service dismissed the radar blips, noting their radar is designed to sense weather not aircraft. Press speculated that the sightings could have been caused by a top-secret US aircraft, though aviation experts expressed skepticism. Press similarly covered a psychologist who opined the sightings were caused by social contagion, likening them to apparitions of Mary the mother of Jesus in stains on a water tower. The Detroit Free Press reported that residents of the very-religious Holland, Michigan were interpreting the sightings as a biblical sign.
Assessment by the Mutual UFO Network
By March 20, the Mutual UFO Network spokesperson told press they had received over 100 UFO reports in lower Michigan since the initial sightings on March 8. The group interviewed dozens of witnesses, but the event remains unexplained. The group claims to have ruled out most earthly explanations, such as a small plane, gas, blimp, weather balloon, satellite, shooting star, military aircraft or debris.
Legacy
In 2019, on the twenty-fifth anniversary of the event, local media interviewed witness Cindy Pravda. In 2020, retired meteorologist Jack Bushong was interviewed about his experiences at the National Weather Service station the night of March 8, 1994. In 2021, Bushong reported that he "felt vindicated" by a recent government UFO report. The event was detailed on an episode of the Netflix series Unsolved Mysteries in 2022.
References
- ^ "Retired meteorologist shares his account of 1994 West Michigan UFO sightings". WWMT. 3 September 2020. Retrieved 5 June 2022.
- "Article clipped from Lansing State Journal". Lansing State Journal. 11 March 1994. p. 14.
- "Article clipped from Detroit Free Press". Detroit Free Press. 11 March 1994. p. 16.
- "Michigan UFO buffs have enough reports to fill sky". Chicago Tribune. 20 March 1994. p. 19.
- "What Was It?". The Times Herald. 11 March 1994. p. 1.
- ^ "LIGHTS, RADAR BLIPS STILL HAVE MICHIGAN FOLKS WONDERING". Chicago Tribune. 13 March 1995. Archived from the original on 27 Feb 2024. Retrieved 5 June 2022.
- ^ "On this day in 1994, more than 60 people reported a Michigan UFO sighting". MLive. 8 March 2017. Retrieved 5 June 2022.
- "Experts downplay UFO sightings over state". Detroit Free Press. 20 March 1994. p. 21.
- ^ "UFO: Lights puzzling to residents". Detroit Free Press. 20 March 1994. p. 22.
- "UFO sightings a sign from heaven?". Detroit Free Press. 20 March 1994. p. 22.
- "Article clipped from the Times Herald". The Times Herald. 20 March 1994. p. 14.
- "25 years later, one of Michigan's most famous UFO events remains a mystery". 8 March 2019.
- Erb, Henry (29 July 2021). "UFO report 'vindication' for man who tracked 1994 sightings on radar". WOOD-TV.
- "'Unsolved Mysteries' investigates 1994 alleged UFO sighting that still haunts witnesses". Detroit Free Press. Retrieved 2022-10-22.