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Valentich Disappearance
A young pilot vanished while reporting a UFO hovering over his aircraft. His chilling final transmissions described a large unknown object with four bright lights.
October 21, 1978
Bass Strait, Australia
1+ witnesses
The Pilot Who Vanished
On October 21, 1978, 20-year-old pilot Frederick Valentich disappeared over Bass Strait, Australia while reporting a UFO to Melbourne air traffic control. His final transmission ended with metallic scraping sounds.
The Flight
October 21, 1978:
- Evening flight
- Melbourne to King Island
- Cessna 182
- Routine trip
- Over Bass Strait
The Transmissions
Valentich reported:
- Large unknown aircraft
- Four bright lights
- Not aircraft
- Hovering over him
- “What is it?”
Final Words
Last transmission:
- “It is not an aircraft”
- Metallic scraping sound
- Then silence
- Contact lost 7:12 PM
- Never heard again
The Search
Massive effort:
- Air and sea
- Several days
- No trace found
- No wreckage
- Complete disappearance
Other Witnesses
Same night:
- Strange lights reported
- Over Bass Strait
- Multiple observers
- Corroborating sightings
Roy Manifold
Photographer:
- Shot sunset that night
- Captured strange object
- Same time, same area
- Supporting evidence
Significance
One of the most haunting UFO cases, with recorded transmissions documenting the encounter before a complete disappearance.
Legacy
The Valentich case remains Australia’s most famous aviation mystery, with his final transmissions creating one of the most chilling records in UFO history.