Fourth Flare Sighting Investigated, Nothing Found
A reported flare sighting on Tuesday [Dec 30] resulted in a police land unit requested to make observations on North Shore Road but reported nothing unusual.
This marks the fourth reported flare sighting over the holiday period with the first report on December 21st, second report on December 23rd and third report on December 24th.
A Bermuda Maritime Operations Centre spokesperson said,”On Tuesday 30th December 8:30pm, RCC Bermuda/Bermuda Radio receive a number of 911 calls from members of the public, reporting flare sightings off north shore between Grassy Bay and Shelly Bay.
“Bermuda Radio commences Urgency Broadcasts calling upon Mariners to keep a sharp lookout, and report any further sightings to Bermuda Radio. The Police dispatch a land unit out to North Shore Road to investigate.
“The Duty officer at Bermuda Radio monitors Radar/Coastal Surveillance equipment for any offshore vessels, but after several hours nothing further is reported or observed by either the Police or Bermuda Radio, and no further action is taken.”
The Bermuda Maritime Operations Centre have previously said they welcome notice from those launching ‘Chinese Lanterns’ of the intention to do so, when and where, so that this source can be eliminated from false alerts. They can be reached by calling 297-1010.
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Category: All, Environment
These can either be aliens or they can be angels….I mean really …could effing be the second coming of Jesus Christ…..a flare would equate to either a sinking boat or one in distress….but this would require a quick glance st the radar at harbour radio…and perhaps a quick glance across the water…I know what ball lightening looks like,I’ve held that in my hand….I can see Chinese lanterns as they sell them at annex…good thing we don’t have tar shingled roofs here….oh yeah …angels or aliens….that’s what I reckon they were…by golly!
They’ve all be lanterns…
The night of the 24th I took note of three floating lights in the sky, spread wide apart as I was driving along North Shore just past Tynes Bay. The clouds were fairly low that night, and one was doused as it reached the cloud level.
Driving along, I later saw one of those lanterns floating up in the area around Glebe Road about mid-way up the hill by the restaurant there.
Neighbors and I saw them too that night. Two of them floating by and then dissipating. The Chinese lanterns appear to have been set off in the Glebe road area.
As a former SaR controller in the USCG, I can bet these are neither aliens or angels, but likely a bunch of kids, off for the holiday, who have obtained a pack of flares.
Maritime Ops Centers and Rescue Coordination Centers would tell you that a substantial portion of search cases are from hoax mayday calls and flare sightings. In my experience its almost 50% possibility that such distress signals are related to an actual distress incident.
et go home ……………….
Oh come on people, learn to know the difference between a distress flare, which is usually red & dropping, from one of these mini hot air balloons, which last much longer, flicker from the flame heating them, are RISING & eventually run out of fuel & go out, then drop unseen, back to the surface.
In typical Bermuda overreaction watch the authorities ban the sale & use of these things shortly.