Research and Investigation into Anomalous Light Phenomena
on and over Lake Ontario, Ontario, Canada



REPORTS OF SIGHTINGS IN THE NIAGARA

AND LAKE ONTARIO AREA

(Courtesy of Cathy Laughlan)

NIAGARA FALLS GAZETTE

August 4, 1966; Pg. 27


Bright, high-flying, fast-moving objects observed during the night and similarly described by three Niagara Falls residents have again raised a familiar and frequent question -- do unidentified flying objects exist?

Mrs. George Haeberle, a resident of the top floor of the Parkway Apartments, told the Niagara Falls Gazette today that she watched a star-like object travel out of Canada and proceed over the Niagara River toward the vicinity of North Tonawanda and then return again to Canada during the early morning hours.

She said the UFO, which she described as "very large and very fast," moved in a straight path and was "very brilliant." The sighting took place about 4:30 a.m. She said it wasn't a star or a plane.

Bill Nelson, 1046 91st St., and a neighbor, Russell Sorenberger, 1050 91st St., both spotted an object with binoculars about 10 p.m. Wednesday, which Mr. Nelson said traveled at a speed "too fast to be anything but a UFO."

Mr. Nelson said he focused on the object as it traveled directly overhead from west to east.

He said the object crossed the span in about 15 seconds. He said that he has watched satellites travel the same course, but in about 30 minutes time.

Mr. Nelson said that Mr. Sorenberger spotted a similar object, which he described as starlike and bright, white, travel from north to south. Mr. Nelson said the UFO was not an airplane or a shooting star.

Meanwhile, Air Force and private investigators are in Erie, Pa., investigating reports of UFOs spotted over Lake Erie during the last three nights.

Maj. William S. Hall from the Air Force base in Youngstown, Ohio, is in Erie questioning witnesses and has taken plaster casts of tracks found in the sand in Presque Isle State Park where two people said they saw a UFO land.

Another Air Force official, Capt. Harry Meier, chief of operations and training at the Niagara Falls Air Force base, has returned to base after spending two days in Erie investigating the incident. He was unavailable for comment.

James F. Sipprell of Kenmore, Western New York chairman of the National Investigations Committee on Aerial Phenomena, NICAP, said his organization is also investigating the incident.

Betty Jean Klem, 16, of Jamestown, N.Y., and Douglas Tibbetts, 18, of Greenhurst, N.Y., said they saw a strange object land near the beach Saturday. Miss Klem said the object landed about 300 yards away and vibrated the couple's car.

Maj. Hall took plaster impressions of marks in the Presque Isle beach, which included triangular gouges about two feet across and nine inches deep.

Two Erie radio news reporters also reported seeing bright, flying objects over Lake Erie early Wednesday.

In other developments, NICAP has criticized a program on UFOs, which was presented on CBS Reports.

The organization said that "the program's message, that UFOs are nothing out of the ordinary, was entirely misleading."

Niagara Falls Gazette Reports Index