The Chris Van Voorhis Incident (2005)

In 2005, Chris Van Voorhis, a former pilot for Japan Airlines, had a UFO encounter while flying over the Pacific Ocean. The incident has since become a popular topic among UFO enthusiasts, and it has been the subject of many books, documentaries, and news reports.

The Incident According to Van Voorhis, he and his co-pilot were flying a Boeing 747 cargo plane from Narita, Japan, to Anchorage, Alaska, when they saw a bright, pulsating object in the distance. As they flew closer, they could see that the object was a large, disc-shaped craft with a dome on top. The craft was hovering over the ocean and was approximately the same size as their 747. Van Voorhis estimates that the craft was about 1,000 feet away from their plane and about 3,000 feet above their altitude.

As they approached the object, the pilots tried to communicate with air traffic control to report the sighting, but their radio was filled with static. They also tried to take a photo of the object, but their camera malfunctioned. As they got closer to the object, it suddenly shot off into the distance at a speed that Van Voorhis estimated to be at least 1,000 miles per hour.

Some of the key claims made about this incident include:

1. The object was a UFO: Van Voorhis and his co-pilot both reported seeing a large, disc-shaped craft with a dome on top. They described it as having a bright, pulsating light that was unlike anything they had ever seen before. Many UFO enthusiasts believe that this is evidence of an extraterrestrial craft.
2. The pilots’ testimony is credible: Van Voorhis is a former pilot with many years of experience, and his co-pilot also reported seeing the object. Many people believe that their testimony is credible and that it provides evidence of a UFO sighting.

Chris Van Voorhis has been the subject of several books, including:

1. “UFOs: Generals, Pilots, and Government Officials Go on the Record” by Leslie Kean: This book includes an account of Van Voorhis’s UFO sighting, as well as interviews with other pilots who have reported seeing UFOs.
2. “The 37th Parallel: The Secret Truth Behind America’s UFO Highway” by Ben Mezrich: This book focuses on the strange events that occur along the 37th parallel in the United States, including Van Voorhis’s UFO sighting.
3. “UFOs: Myths, Conspiracies, and Realities” by John B. Alexander: This book provides an overview of the history of UFO sightings and includes a section on Van Voorhis’s encounter.

Interesting Facts

1. The object was detected by radar: According to Van Voorhis, the object was also detected by the plane’s radar. This detail has been reported by several sources, including Leslie Kean’s book “UFOs: Generals, Pilots, and Government Officials Go on the Record.” However, some skeptics have suggested that the radar may have picked up a natural phenomenon rather than an object of extraterrestrial origin.
2. The object was seen by other pilots: According to some reports, other pilots in the area also reported seeing a strange object around the same time as Van Voorhis’s sighting. However, there is little documentation to support this claim.
3. The pilots were debriefed by JAL officials: According to Van Voorhis, he and his co-pilot were debriefed by Japan Airlines officials after the sighting. This detail has been confirmed by Japan Airlines, who released a statement acknowledging the incident. However, the statement did not offer an explanation for what the pilots saw.
4. The pilots reported feeling a sense of awe: In interviews, Van Voorhis has described feeling a sense of awe and wonder during the encounter. He has compared the experience to seeing a majestic natural wonder, such as the Grand Canyon. This detail has been reported by several sources and is often cited by UFO enthusiasts as evidence that the object was of extraterrestrial origin.