Posted On: April 6, 2022

The year is 1979, the place, near Salzburg in Austria. A passenger jet with 109 people on board was forced to take evasive action to avoid colliding with a UFO.

On November 11th, 1979 at about 23:00 hours, Comandante Francisco Lerdo de Tejada, flying a Super Caravelle of the TAE company from Salzburg in Austria to Tenerife.

The airliner had 109 passengers on board, most of whom were German and Austrian tourists. Captain Tejada stated in an interview with Juan Jose Benitez:

"A few minutes before 11:00 p.m. we got a call from Air Control Barcelona. They asked us to switch over to 121.5 megacycles, which is an emergency frequency. So we switched to that frequency, and imagined that there might perhaps be a ship or aircraft in difficulties. But then, when we made contact, all we got was the noise of a transmitter, though we were unable to identify what it was all about. It was at that moment, or a few seconds later, that we saw the red lights. Two very red, powerful lights. They were heading toward us at 9 o'clock of our position. The two lights seemed to be set at the two extremities. All of the movements of the two lights were perfectly coordinated, just as if it were one single device we were dealing with. The speed at which they came at us was staggering. I have never seen anything like that speed. The two lights, in line, came up to us on a bearing of 250 degrees. When we saw them first, they were at about 10 miles. Then they made toward us, and then were literally playing with us at not much under half a mile or so. The object was moving upward and downward at will, all round us, and performing movements that it would be quite impossible for any conventional machine to execute. What sort of aircraft flies at that sort of speed? What sort of aircraft takes up a position at less than half a mile from my jet liner and then sets about playing games with me?"

Captain Tejada said that the object's size was "approximately the same as a jumbo jet," and that its approach speed was such that he was obliged to make a "break", turning the aircraft sharply to avoid collision.

According to one news report, an elderly male passenger collapsed when he saw the objects zigzagging across the night sky toward the plane. "The situation finally got so serious," said the airline pilot, "that we decided to call Manises and request permission to make an emergency landing."

The plane touched down at Valencia shortly before midnight, with the UFO still visible over the airport buildings, seen by the airport director, Senor Morlan, together with his air traffic controller and a number of ground personnel.

According to Senor Benitez, there was an immediate response by the Spanish Air Force Defense Command Center in Madrid. Radar had registered a number of echoes in precisely the area where the airliner was flying at the time, and Air Defense Command HQ ordered two Mirage F1 jets to take off on an intercept mission from Los Llanos Air Base, near Albacete, five minutes after the airliner had landed. Although Senor Benitez was unable to secure official confirmation, he learned that the Mirage pilots established visual contact with the UFO, and that one of the planes was subjected to a number of sudden close approaches by the unknown object, or objects.

Captain Tejada and his flight crew were interrogated by the Air Force shortly after landing. "As is usual in all cases of this sort," reported Benitez, "the Spanish Air Force, initiates an extensive investigation and appoints an official with the title of Juez-Informador to preside over it. He is generally a high-ranking Air Force officer."

My Take: Wow, this is a good one. Radar echoes, qualified pilots as witnesses. A plane load of passengers. I guess it would come down to unknown military crafts with super advanced technology or something more off worldly. If any country had those types of crafts, they are keeping them hidden till this day though.

Resources: Above Top Secret, Timothy Good, 1988

Posted On: April 6, 2022

The year is 1979, the place, near Salzburg in Austria. A passenger jet with 109 people on board was forced to take evasive action to avoid colliding with a UFO.

On November 11th, 1979 at about 23:00 hours, Comandante Francisco Lerdo de Tejada, flying a Super Caravelle of the TAE company from Salzburg in Austria to Tenerife.

The airliner had 109 passengers on board, most of whom were German and Austrian tourists. Captain Tejada stated in an interview with Juan Jose Benitez:

"A few minutes before 11:00 p.m. we got a call from Air Control Barcelona. They asked us to switch over to 121.5 megacycles, which is an emergency frequency. So we switched to that frequency, and imagined that there might perhaps be a ship or aircraft in difficulties. But then, when we made contact, all we got was the noise of a transmitter, though we were unable to identify what it was all about. It was at that moment, or a few seconds later, that we saw the red lights. Two very red, powerful lights. They were heading toward us at 9 o'clock of our position. The two lights seemed to be set at the two extremities. All of the movements of the two lights were perfectly coordinated, just as if it were one single device we were dealing with. The speed at which they came at us was staggering. I have never seen anything like that speed. The two lights, in line, came up to us on a bearing of 250 degrees. When we saw them first, they were at about 10 miles. Then they made toward us, and then were literally playing with us at not much under half a mile or so. The object was moving upward and downward at will, all round us, and performing movements that it would be quite impossible for any conventional machine to execute. What sort of aircraft flies at that sort of speed? What sort of aircraft takes up a position at less than half a mile from my jet liner and then sets about playing games with me?"

Captain Tejada said that the object's size was "approximately the same as a jumbo jet," and that its approach speed was such that he was obliged to make a "break", turning the aircraft sharply to avoid collision.

According to one news report, an elderly male passenger collapsed when he saw the objects zigzagging across the night sky toward the plane. "The situation finally got so serious," said the airline pilot, "that we decided to call Manises and request permission to make an emergency landing."

The plane touched down at Valencia shortly before midnight, with the UFO still visible over the airport buildings, seen by the airport director, Senor Morlan, together with his air traffic controller and a number of ground personnel.

According to Senor Benitez, there was an immediate response by the Spanish Air Force Defense Command Center in Madrid. Radar had registered a number of echoes in precisely the area where the airliner was flying at the time, and Air Defense Command HQ ordered two Mirage F1 jets to take off on an intercept mission from Los Llanos Air Base, near Albacete, five minutes after the airliner had landed. Although Senor Benitez was unable to secure official confirmation, he learned that the Mirage pilots established visual contact with the UFO, and that one of the planes was subjected to a number of sudden close approaches by the unknown object, or objects.

Captain Tejada and his flight crew were interrogated by the Air Force shortly after landing. "As is usual in all cases of this sort," reported Benitez, "the Spanish Air Force, initiates an extensive investigation and appoints an official with the title of Juez-Informador to preside over it. He is generally a high-ranking Air Force officer."

My Take: Wow, this is a good one. Radar echoes, qualified pilots as witnesses. A plane load of passengers. I guess it would come down to unknown military crafts with super advanced technology or something more off worldly. If any country had those types of crafts, they are keeping them hidden till this day though.

Resources: Above Top Secret, Timothy Good, 1988