The Travis Walton Abduction

On November 5, 1975, logger Travis Walton was struck by a beam of light from a UFO in front of six coworkers. He vanished for five days. When he returned, he described being aboard a spacecraft with both alien and human-looking beings.

The Encounter

Walton and six fellow loggers were driving home from work in the Apache-Sitgreaves National Forest when they observed a luminous object hovering near the road. Walton approached and was struck by a beam of light.

The Disappearance

His terrified coworkers fled. When they returned, Walton was gone. Search parties combed the forest. Police suspected murder and gave the coworkers polygraph tests. All passed. Walton was missing for five days.

The Return

Walton reappeared near a gas station, confused and dehydrated. He believed only hours had passed. Under hypnosis, he described waking aboard a craft, seeing gray beings with large eyes, and being examined by human-looking beings in blue uniforms.

The Polygraphs

Walton passed polygraph tests. His coworkers consistently passed tests. While polygraphs are not infallible, the multiple successful tests add credibility.

The Controversy

Skeptics have proposed the case was an elaborate hoax for publicity. Walton wrote a book and the case inspired the film “Fire in the Sky.” However, no evidence of hoaxing has been proven.

Assessment

The Travis Walton case is distinguished by multiple witnesses to the initial event and successful polygraph tests. Whether genuine abduction or sustained hoax, it remains one of the most famous cases in UFO history.