by Donald Wood
Last updated: 12:00 AM ET, Wed November 14, 2018
The Irish Aviation Authority (IAA) has launched a formal investigation into a UFO sighting by a British Airways pilot reported last week.
According to BBC.com, a BA pilot flying from Montreal to Heathrow Airport in London on November 9 reported to air traffic controllers at Shannon Airport in Ireland that she saw a "very bright light" that moved close the left side of the plane before shooting away at high speed.
The pilot asked Irish officials if there were military exercises in the area, as she was concerned about a possible collision with the unidentified flying object. The air traffic controller reported no such exercises.
Another pilot of a nearby Virgin flight said he saw two bright lights that climbed to his right at twice the speed of sound. He also revealed there were multiple objects following the same sort of trajectory.
Armagh Observatory astronomer Apostolos Christou attempted to explain away the UFO sighting.
"It was most likely what are commonly called shooting stars," Christou said. "It appears the matter was extremely bright so it must have been quite a large piece of material. I cannot say from the pilots' description, but it could have been the size of a walnut or an apple."
The IAA has launched a formal investigation under the normal confidential occurrence investigation process. A Shannon Airport spokesperson would not comment on the incident during the IAA investigation.
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