A British Airways Boeing 777 departing Heathrow for New York reportedly encountered an unidentified object near Guildford, Surrey, on 24 June 2026, with the pilot estimating that it passed just 50ft above the aircraft's altitude.
The UK Airprox Board subsequently classified the incident as Category A, indicating a serious risk of collision, but investigators could not establish what the object was.
The case appeared in the Board's September 2026 assessment records. Although the pilot suspected a drone, investigators found no associated radar contact, leaving the object's identity unresolved.
The reported separation was a vertical estimate, not a confirmed measurement of the minimum distance between the aircraft and the object.
British Airways UFO Sighting Raises Questions About Aviation Safety
The incident occurred as the Boeing 777 climbed through 5,800ft near Guildford after departing Heathrow. The pilot described a silver-coloured, reflective object and estimated its size by comparing it with four toasters.
The crew reported the sighting to air traffic control at approximately 12.08 UTC. The UK Airprox Board recorded the incident under case number 2026127 and assigned it an ICAO Risk Category A rating, its most serious risk classification.
A British Airways jet carrying more than 250 passengers from Heathrow to New York had a near miss with a UFO. The pilot contacted air traffic control after the shiny silver object, described as a "metallic object" roughly the size of four toasters, flew past the plane in the… https://t.co/KMW09uELei pic.twitter.com/yBGpmp1aUi
— Disclosure Party (@disclosureorg) October 25, 2026
The pilot described the encounter as 'too close for comfort'. However, the assessment should not be interpreted as proof that a collision was inevitable or that the object was on a confirmed collision course with the aircraft.
The official record gives an estimated vertical separation of 50ft but no horizontal measurement, leaving the object's closest distance unconfirmed. Investigators could not identify the object and found no associated radar contact.
The flight reportedly continued to New York without evasive action and landed on schedule.
British Airways said it takes such reports seriously and that pilots report incidents for investigation, but the object's identity remains unknown.
Other UFO Sightings Near UK Airports Remain Unresolved
The June encounter was not the only unexplained object sighting included in the UK Airprox Board's September 2026 records. An Airbus A320 crew reported seeing an unidentified object near Kensal Town on 21 June, with the pilot suspecting it could have been a drone.
That case received a Category D assessment, meaning there was insufficient information for the Board to make a sound risk judgement.
It therefore should not be presented as having the same established risk classification as the British Airways incident.
Other reports involved aircraft near Rochdale and Birmingham, but the records do not establish a connection between the sightings or confirm the objects' identities. A pilot's suspicion that an object was a drone remains unverified, and the term UFO does not imply an extraordinary explanation.
Earlier British Airways UFO Reports Offer No Definitive Explanation
Unexplained sightings involving commercial aircraft have been reported before. In January 1995, pilots aboard a Boeing 737 travelling from Milan to Manchester reportedly saw a wedge-shaped object with lights as their aircraft descended through 4,000ft.
The object appeared on the aircraft's right-hand side, and the first officer reportedly ducked as it passed. The Civil Aviation Authority's Joint Airmiss Working Group investigated the incident but did not establish what the object was.
Historical Ministry of Defence records reportedly indicated that military aircraft had been ruled out, while officials found no evidence of a threat to UK air defences. The case nevertheless remained unexplained.
In November 2018, a British Airways Boeing 787 flying from Montreal to Heathrow reported a bright object near Ireland. The Irish Aviation Authority investigated after multiple pilots reported unusual lights, but no definitive explanation emerged. The incident has no established connection to the June 2026 sighting.
What Remains Unknown About The Heathrow UFO Sighting
The central question is still the object's identity. The pilot's observations provide a description of its appearance and estimated vertical separation, but they do not independently establish its dimensions, speed, precise trajectory or means of propulsion.
The available assessment does not confirm that the object was a drone, identify an operator or establish that anyone acted unlawfully. It also provides no verified link between this incident and the other sightings.
The Category A rating records the seriousness of the potential collision risk, not proof that a crash was imminent. The distinction is essential to understanding the case without overstating what investigators established.
The object remains unidentified in the published record, and the available evidence does not support a more definitive explanation.
