Pilot tells of near miss with UFO

A pilot has recounted a near miss with a rugby ball-sized UFO. Photo / Getty Images

A pilot has told how his passenger jet came with feet of being hit by a UFO while flying at 34,000 feet over the Berkshire countryside.

The captain was so convinced that the "rugby ball" shaped object would smash into the Airbus that he ducked as it headed towards the cockpit.

The pilot reported the incident to air traffic control and checked the aircraft's instruments immediately after it shot past, but there was no sign of the mystery object.

It appeared so suddenly out of a left hand side cockpit window, that the aircrew had no time to take evasive action, before it passed within a few feet of the jet, The Telegraph reports.

An investigation by the aviation authority has been unable to establish an earthly explanation for the UFO, which was described by the captain as bright silver with a metallic construction and "cigar/rugby ball like" in shape.

An incident report states: "He was under the apprehension that they were on collision course with no time to react. His immediate reaction was to duck to the right and reach over to alert the FO (First Officer); there was no time to talk to alert him.

"The Captain was fully expecting to experience some kind of impact with a conflicting aircraft."

The UK Airprox Board, which is in charge of investigating near misses in British airspace, established that no other aircraft were in the vicinity at the time. It also ruled out meteorological balloons and toy balloons. Military radars were checked, but none had picked up the UFO.

The report concluded it was "not possible to trace the object or determine the likely cause of the sighting".

The A320 Airbus, which typically carry 150 passengers, was flying 20 miles west of the airport when the UFO was sighted. The incident happened at 6.35pm on 13 July of last year but has only been detailed now with the publication of the report.

- UK Independent