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This Ministry of Defence file, released through The National Archives and published by The Black Vault, holds the MOD's 2002 handling of Dr David Clarke's requests for UFO documents under the Code of Practice on Access to Government Information. It includes the MOD's 9 December 2002 reply, which covered reports from 1976, 1980, 1993 and 1996 and charged £260. It also contains internal emails and file requisitions, plus Foreign Office and United Nations papers from 1978 on Grenada's proposal for UFO research.
“UFO Files”38 pages
• \REDACTION ON ORIGINAL DOCUMENT I 0600, again on the Claxby radar display. The radar plot was always single and stationary and defied attempts to obtain height or IFF/SSR information on it. Significantly, the plot was never present on radar displays from the NATS sensors at Cromer and Debden nor on the air defence radar at Trimmingham; although a stationary return was detected on the AR15 approach radar at RAF Waddington at 0749Z, this was inaccurate reporting of a separate permanent echo. Three aircraft, which transitted the Boston area at 0710Z, 0830, and 1105, failed to sight any airborne object. A map showing radar locations and the position of the plot is at Annex B. 7. Plot Analysis. The characteristics of the plot confirm beyond reasonable doubt that it was a permanent radar echo, and the fact that it could only be detected by a single nearby sensor indicates a relatively low physical feature which, however, appears as a permanent radar echo only in certain weather conditions; for example, it was not present on the Claxby radar on 8 Nov but could be seen on 11 Nov. It is highly probable that the echo was caused by the 273ft Spire of st Botolph's Church, Boston (the 'Boston stump), as suggested at 1105Z by Anglia Radar, a unit familiar with operating aircraft in the Wash area; however, it is not possible to be absolutely certain without conducting further detailed technical study. THE STATIONARY LIGHTS 8. Analysis of Observations. Various sightings of either stationary, multicoloured, flashing lights or a stationary bright white light were made between approximately 0205Z and dawn by observers at Skegness and Boston and on board the MV CONOCOAST some 8 miles to the east of Skegness. However, when asked at 0227 and 0240Z respectively, police at Kings Lynn and the MV NAUTIC w, some 16nms ENE of Skegness, observed no lights which they considered unusual. In addition, the crews of two civilian airliners flying through the area at between 0520 and 0530Z reporting no sightings of lights when asked by LATCC(Civil). Only one unsolicited observation of lights seems to have occurred: by PC- at approximately 0205Z on patrol at Addlethorpe near Skegness. All other recorded observations were made on the instigation of Great Yarmouth Coastguard. Moreover, while various reference has been made to an object associated with the lights, this has been by inference only on the part of the observers. A full synopsis of sightings, times, bearings and angles is at Annex C together with maps showing the locations of observation. There is little reliable or accurate bearing and elevation information since several observers confessed to being either unconcerned, not very interested, or admitted to being poor at angles; the only accurate measurements are derived from the Skegness police video tape of the lights, filmed at 0350Z and from the MV CONOCOAST at 0401Z which measured bearings based on the Ship's compass. While the lights were generally regarded as unusual, no observer confessed to being alarmed by them; indeed, the initial observer watched the multicoloured flashing lights change characteristics and elevation until dawn when 'they looked just like any other star'.
Document, cited by the archive. The PDF is mirrored here; the original link is under it. 492 pages are in the text index: search them above, or from the library's search.