Incident · 29 November 1989 – April 1991 · Eupen and across Belgium
Belgian UFO wave
Also known as Belgian wave, Belgian triangles, Belgian UFO wave
Partly explained. Later analyses attributed the March 1990 F-16 radar locks to radar artefacts and atmospheric effects, and the Petit-Rechain photo was a hoax; the earlier visual sightings remain unexplained. (source)
From 29 November 1989, when gendarmes and others around Eupen reported large, slow, silent triangular craft with lights at the corners, Belgium saw a wave of sightings that lasted into 1990 and beyond; the Eupen sightings alone drew 143 witness reports, most of them submitted after media coverage.
On the night of 30–31 March 1990, after ground radar contacts at Semmerzake, the Belgian Air Force scrambled two F-16s from Beauvechain. In about an hour and nine interception attempts the fighters achieved three brief radar locks on fast-moving targets but never saw anything. The Air Force published its findings, presented by Col. (later Maj.-Gen.) Wilfried De Brouwer.
Later technical analyses attributed the F-16 locks to radar artefacts and atmospheric effects, and sceptics point to misidentified aircraft and media-driven reports. The famous Petit-Rechain photograph of a triangle with corner lights, published in April 1990, was admitted by its author in July 2011 to be a hoax made from painted styrofoam.
Sources: Wikipedia · Belgian Air Force report (1990)
Facts and claims
- documented Beginning on November 29, 1989 near Eupen, thousands of people, including gendarmes, reported large, slow, silent triangular craft with lights at the corners. Reports continued into 1991. Source: UFO sightings for 2 years straight- Ret. Belgian Air Force Major General Wilfried de Brouwer 1989 at 0:19
- documented On the night of March 30–31, 1990 the Belgian Air Force scrambled two F-16s after ground radar contacts. The fighters recorded several brief radar locks on fast-moving targets. The Air Force published its findings, prepared by Maj. P. Lambrechts, and Col. Wilfried De Brouwer presented radar data at a press conference. Source: ufologie.patrickgross.org (archived)
- claimed Later technical analyses attributed the F-16 radar locks to radar artifacts and atmospheric effects rather than real targets. The famous April 1990 “Petit-Rechain” triangle photo was admitted to be a hoax by its author in 2011. Source: ufologie.patrickgross.org (archived)
- documented The MoD files hold a detailed account of the events by Col. Wilfried De Brouwer of the Belgian Air Force, who says the “incident remains unresolved” (DEFE 31/185, pp. 247–51). Source: highlights-guide-09-08-11.pdf
Connected files
Claims
- Large silent triangular craft of unknown origin flew over Belgium in 1989–90, tracked by Air Force radar and F-16s (subject of)
Documents
- Ministry of Defence UFO files: release of 17 August 2009 (14 files) (subject of) — DEFE 24/1960, pp. 320–324, and DEFE 24/1970, pp. 86–87
- Ministry of Defence UFO files: release of 11 August 2011 (34 files) (subject of) — DEFE 31/185, pp. 247–51: De Brouwer's account
- The National Archives: guides to the Ministry of Defence UFO files (2008–2013) (subject of)
- The National Archives (UK): UFO files release, highlights guide (August 2009) (subject of) — Points to the Belgian Air Force's official statement to the MoD (DEFE 24/1970) and De Brouwer's account of the F-16 radar lock-ons (DEFE 24/1960)
Events
People
- Wilfried De Brouwer (investigated by)
Videos
- Citizen Hearing 2013: Associated Phenomena (discussed in)
- UFO sightings for 2 years straight- Ret. Belgian Air Force Major General Wilfried de Brouwer 1989 (subject of)
- National Press Club - November 12th, 2007. UFO Close Encounters (discussed in)
Mentioned in documents and records
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