Study
shows increase in UFO sightings
Local
UFO expert Michel M. Deschamps reports a new study by
an independent research group has found more people are
seeing UFOs in Canada.
In
a letter to the editor, he quotes Chris Rutkowski, a research
co-ordinator as saying, "UFO sightings continue to
be reported in significant numbers each year.
Many
witnesses are pilots, police and other individuals with
reasonably good observing capabilities and good judgement."
Although
most reported UFOs are simply lights in the night sky,
a significant number are objects with definite shape observed
within the witnesses frame of reference.
Findings
of the study:
•
There were 483 reported sightings of UFOs in Canada in
2002 - at least one sighting a day.
•
There were about 29 per cent more UFO reports in 2002
than 2001. The number of UFO reports per year in Canada
has increased almost 250 per cent since 1998.
•
In 2002, more UFOs were reported in the late summer than
any other time of the year, but February also had an unexpectedly
large peak in UFO report numbers.
•
In 2002, about 18 per cent of all UFO reports were unexplained.
This percentage of unknowns falls to about 7 per cent
when only high quality cases are considered.
•
Most UFO sightings have two witnesses.
•
The typical UFO sighting lasted approximately 15 minutes
in 2002.
For
further information, contact: Chris Rutkowski e-mail:
rutkows@cc.umanitoba.ca A toll-free telephone number to
report UFO sightings in Canada has recently become operational:
1-866-262-1989.
The
study is available online at www.geocities.com/aristotl.geo
