Two unknown crafts spotted near Yellowknife airport in Canada
CTV News reported that on the night of January 29th, air traffic controllers and an incoming plane were unable to make out two glowing white lights that were rotating in a circular manner above Yellowknife.
“Good evening, just wondering, do you got two planes that are just to the east of your field doing circuits or maneuvers?” a crew member aboard a Canadian North flight from Fort McMurray, Alta., to Yellowknife, N.W.T., asked as it approached the city in northern Canada around 11:15 p.m. local time.
“Negative, I have no reported traffic in the area,” an air traffic controller in Yellowknife replied. “Do you have a visual on something?”
“Yeah, we’re looking at two lights dancing around here, to the east of your field,” the crew of the twin turboprop Canadian North aircraft said. “They’re above us, about, I don’t know what. We’re not seeing them on TCAS (traffic collision avoidance system). But we can see the lights moving around.”
“I don’t have anything on the radar either. Let me talk to center,” The tower answered, most likely referring to the air control hub.
A moment later, the air traffic controller was back on the radio.
“Hey, center doesn’t have anything about any movement in the area, so I’m really wondering what you’re seeing there,” they said.
“Yeah, so are we,” the flight answered.
“All right, I’m trying to look,” air traffic control said, likely peering out of a tower window. “I don’t see them from the ground here. Well, I’ll keep an eye out. I’ll talk with center again.”
“Yeah, no worries,” the crew replied. “They’re not a risk to us.”
Canadian North airlines, based in Kanata (Ottawa suburb), travels to multiple locations throughout northern Canada. During the flight close to Yellowknife, an astonishing event occurred as described by Canadian North crew members—an observation of lights “moving around in a circular pattern” approximately 12 miles northwest of the airport!
“We’ll talk on the ground,” the air traffic controller said. “I’ll file a CIRVIS report – this is when we have some sightings that we cannot explain.”
Civilian air traffic control in Canada is operated by the private company Nav Canada. According to Nav Canada aviation guidelines, CIRVIS reports – short for “Communication Instructions for Reporting Vital Intelligence Sightings” – should be made “immediately upon a vital intelligence sighting of any airborne and ground objects or activities that appear to be hostile, suspicious, unidentified or engaged in possible illegal smuggling activity.” Nav Canada even puts “unidentified flying objects” at the front of a list of “vital intelligence sighting” examples, which also include “submarines or surface warships identified as being non-Canadian or non-American.”
The air traffic controller comes back on the radio again to ask what color the lights are.
“White,” is the reply.
“Roger, thanks.”
There’s then a pause before the crew member comes back on the radio to say, “We’re not crazy.”
“No, we believe you.”
The incident also appears in a pair of reports published on Transport Canada’s online aviation incident database on Feb. 10 and Feb. 14, with data provided by Nav Canada. Transport Canada is the federal government’s transportation department.
