We often encounter reports of mysterious sightings in the skies above regarding UFOs, aliens, etc. Many of these are spooky stories to humans, as it’s hard to describe the reasoning behind each occurrence using prevailing science.

Pilots and astronauts, who spend much time in the air, often experience these encounters. A sighting of a mysterious red colour glow over the Pacific Ocean captured by a pilot is spreading widely via social media. Let’s look at the claim and facts behind these strange images.

Social Media Posts

Claims are being spread on social media based on images of red colour spots, stating that those images depict a mysterious red glow over the Pacific Ocean and that a pilot captured the related footage.

Facebook | Archived

Users commented on it like below.

These posts were viral on Facebook.

We decided to investigate these images further.

Fact Check

First, we did a keyword search and a reverse image search. After that, we could find the actual incident behind these photos.

Mainstream media reported the incident a few months back in July 2022 and debunked the content of viral social media posts about the mysterious nature of these red glows.

The controversy began with the footage released by a pilot to the internet about what he saw while travelling over the pacific ocean at an altitude of 31,000 feet.

American pilot Dustin Maggard took these photos on July 16 of strange red lights that he witnessed while flying over the Pacific Ocean. Meanwhile, the pilot told CNN that he had never seen such phenomena before.

Since then, many people have shared these images on social media or left comments claiming that the lights are either secret military exercises or supernatural phenomena. Details about it can be taken from here. Archived.

Speaking about the issue, meteorologist and weather modelling expert Niel Jacob stated to international media that the viral footage and photos really depict the LED lighting of fishing boats and are not mysterious.

“They were commercial fishing vessels that were fishing for Pacific saury using very bright red arrays of LED lights,” he said.

A few months ago, sky news reported the incident with the explanation of Niel Jacobs. The news bulletin of Sky News Australia can be watched below.

According to Niel Jacobs, “lights like these attract the mackerel-like saury the fisherman are hoping to catch”.

Jacobs had entered the flight’s location and the date and could see fishing vessels around the exact location where the red lights were noticed. Also, in the video with red lights, you can see what appears to be one vessel turning its red lights on.

“You can literally see them from outer space,” Jacobs said.

The opinion about LED lighting of fish boats can pave the way for the red glow to a viewer who detects the situation from space can be aligned more with prevailing science rather than any other supernatural theories like UFO sightings or conspiracy theories like war exercises.

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Title:What Is the Cause of The Mysterious Red Glow Displayed Over the Pacific Ocean? Find out the facts…

By: Kalana Krishantha

Result: Explainer