What Else Could Malta's UFOs Have Been?

Introduction

Most reported UFO sightings in Malta do not come with radar data, multiple calibrated recordings, or formal scientific investigation. They are usually photographs, short videos, eyewitness descriptions, or social media posts showing unusual lights, shapes, or movements over the islands. That does not make the witnesses dishonest, but it does mean that many reports can be tested against more ordinary explanations before concluding that something extraordinary occurred.

Malta’s geography creates a particularly challenging environment for identifying objects in the sky. The islands sit beneath busy civilian flight paths, near major Mediterranean shipping routes, and under increasingly visible satellite traffic. Atmospheric haze, strong sunlight over the sea, reflections, camera compression, and unfamiliar aerospace activity can all produce images that look far stranger than the underlying cause. Skeptical analysis therefore plays an important role in separating genuinely unresolved observations from reports that may have simpler explanations. [Times of Malta]timesofmalta.comIt s not a bird it s not a plane it may be a UFO.428455Times of MaltaIt's not a bird,it's not a plane,it may be a UFOJuly 13, 2012 — 13 Jul 2012 — Zfort Ertfay quickly interrupted a brisk walk…Published: July 13, 2012

Common Sky and Sea Misidentifications

Many Maltese UFO reports share characteristics that investigators elsewhere have linked to known aerial, astronomical, or optical phenomena.

Aircraft near a small but busy air corridor

Malta International Airport handles substantial commercial traffic despite the country’s small size. Aircraft approaching or departing over the sea can appear stationary for long periods when flying directly towards an observer. This effect, known as the “constant bearing” illusion, makes a moving aircraft seem to hover before suddenly shifting position.

Some sightings reported near Qawra, Gudja, and other coastal areas involve bright lights that appeared motionless before disappearing. From certain angles, landing lights remain visible while the aircraft body is difficult to see, especially at dusk or in hazy conditions. A turn by the aircraft can then cause the light to vanish abruptly, creating the impression that an object disappeared instantly. Reports connected to the 2012 Qawra sighting illustrate how observers may perceive something unusual even when conventional air traffic remains present in the area. [Times of Malta]timesofmalta.comIt s not a bird it s not a plane it may be a UFO.428455Times of MaltaIt's not a bird,it's not a plane,it may be a UFOJuly 13, 2012 — 13 Jul 2012 — Zfort Ertfay quickly interrupted a brisk walk…Published: July 13, 2012

Satellites and Starlink trains

One explanation that has become increasingly relevant in recent years is satellite activity. The growing number of satellites in low Earth orbit has dramatically increased reports of unusual lights worldwide, including in Malta.

In June 2024, many Maltese observers photographed a strange white cloud and luminous trail in the sky. Some initially suspected a UFO. Astronomers and University of Malta experts identified it instead as a SpaceX Falcon 9 launch releasing Starlink satellites, creating what is sometimes called a “space nebula”. The event demonstrates how unfamiliar aerospace activity can generate genuine confusion among witnesses who are accurately reporting what they saw but misidentifying its origin. [Times of Malta]timesofmalta.comIt s not a bird it s not a plane it may be a UFO.428455Times of MaltaIt's not a bird,it's not a plane,it may be a UFOJuly 13, 2012 — 13 Jul 2012 — Zfort Ertfay quickly interrupted a brisk walk…Published: July 13, 2012

Similarly, strings of evenly spaced lights moving silently across the night sky are often consistent with newly launched Starlink satellites rather than structured craft. Several Maltese social media discussions about unusual light formations closely resemble reports seen throughout Europe after satellite launches. [Times of Malta]timesofmalta.comIt s not a bird it s not a plane it may be a UFO.428455Times of MaltaIt's not a bird,it's not a plane,it may be a UFOJuly 13, 2012 — 13 Jul 2012 — Zfort Ertfay quickly interrupted a brisk walk…Published: July 13, 2012

Meteors, fireballs, and atmospheric entries

Bright meteors can appear far larger and slower than people expect. When fragments enter the atmosphere at shallow angles, they may remain visible for several seconds and create the impression of controlled flight.

Historical examples show that spectacular atmospheric events are frequently interpreted as mysterious craft when first observed. Investigations of unusual luminous phenomena have repeatedly found that meteors, bolides, or re-entering space debris can account for reports initially described as UFOs. [Wikipedia]Wikipedia2012 United Kingdom meteoroid2012 United Kingdom meteoroid

Malta’s location in the central Mediterranean also means observers often see bright objects over open water with few visual reference points. This makes judging speed, altitude, and distance especially difficult.

Drones and recreational technology

Older UFO reports from Malta predate widespread consumer drone use, but newer sightings increasingly require this possibility to be considered.

A drone viewed at night can appear as a cluster of lights without any visible structure. When filmed on a phone camera, navigation lights may blur together into a single glowing shape. Hovering behaviour that once seemed highly unusual has become entirely ordinary with modern drone technology.

Because many online UFO videos lack exact timing, location data, or independent witnesses, it is often impossible to exclude drones as a potential explanation.

Lights over the sea

The Mediterranean itself can contribute to misidentifications.

Ship lights observed through haze or temperature inversions can appear elevated above the horizon. Refraction effects occasionally distort their shape and apparent position. Under some atmospheric conditions, distant lights may seem to hover, split into multiple objects, or move erratically.

This is especially relevant to reports from coastal locations such as Marsaxlokk, Marsaskala, Qawra, and Buġibba, where many Maltese UFO claims originate.

Photo and Video Clues to Check First

Many famous UFO photographs become less mysterious when examined through the limitations of consumer cameras.

Dark shapes against bright skies

The 2013 Marsaxlokk image showing a dark oval object near the Delimara power station is a useful example. The publicly circulated photograph appears to show a black shape with little visible detail. However, a single image without additional frames makes it extremely difficult to distinguish between a distant object, a nearby bird, an insect passing close to the lens, debris, or a genuine unknown target. The lack of scale information prevents reliable conclusions. [Times of Malta]timesofmalta.comIt s not a bird it s not a plane it may be a UFO.428455Times of MaltaIt's not a bird,it's not a plane,it may be a UFOJuly 13, 2012 — 13 Jul 2012 — Zfort Ertfay quickly interrupted a brisk walk…Published: July 13, 2012

Investigators commonly ask several questions:

Without those details, many photographs remain unidentified but not necessarily anomalous.

Mobile-phone zoom distortion

Many Maltese sightings have been recorded on phones. Digital zoom can transform ordinary points of light into apparently structured objects.

A bright aircraft light, Venus near the horizon, or a distant helicopter can become a blurry geometric shape once magnified. Compression algorithms then add artificial edges and patterns that observers may interpret as discs, triangles, or cylinders.

This problem is particularly severe at night, when camera software aggressively sharpens and brightens small light sources.

The “triangle UFO” problem

Triangular UFO reports are common internationally and occasionally appear in Maltese accounts. Yet triangular shapes are among the easiest forms for cameras to create artificially.

Out-of-focus point lights often adopt the shape of a camera aperture. Three bright lights on a conventional aircraft can also appear as a single triangular object when viewed from a distance.

A witness may honestly perceive a structured craft even when the image itself contains insufficient information to confirm one.

Why Witnesses Can Be Accurate but Still Mistaken

A common misunderstanding in UFO debates is the idea that a sighting must be either a hoax or proof of something extraordinary. In reality, most identification problems arise between those extremes.

Witnesses often provide accurate descriptions of what they observed: [independent.com.mt]independent.com.mtWhat are they 6736257573What are they?7 Jan 2024 — On June 18, 1845, at 9:30pm, three mysterious glowing objects rose from the sea off Malta, a phenomenon some w…Published: June 18, 1845

The disagreement usually concerns interpretation rather than observation.

For example, an approaching aircraft genuinely can appear stationary. A satellite train genuinely can look unlike conventional aviation. A meteor genuinely can seem too large or too slow to fit popular expectations. The witness may therefore report the experience accurately while reaching an incorrect conclusion about its cause.

This distinction is important when evaluating Maltese reports that have only one witness, one image, or limited supporting evidence.

The Challenge of Malta’s Most Discussed Cases

Some Maltese sightings remain unresolved in the narrow sense that no definitive explanation has been demonstrated. That does not automatically make them evidence of extraterrestrial technology.

The Qawra and Birkirkara reports

Images circulated in 2012 showing unusual objects over Malta attracted attention because witnesses could not identify what they had seen. However, the available material was limited and did not provide enough information to determine altitude, speed, or physical dimensions. Reports indicated that conventional air traffic was accounted for, but ruling out one explanation does not establish another. [Times of Malta]timesofmalta.comIt s not a bird it s not a plane it may be a UFO.428455Times of MaltaIt's not a bird,it's not a plane,it may be a UFOJuly 13, 2012 — 13 Jul 2012 — Zfort Ertfay quickly interrupted a brisk walk…Published: July 13, 2012

Possible explanations still include optical effects, distant aircraft viewed under unusual conditions, camera artefacts, or ordinary objects photographed from misleading angles.

The Marsascala “croissant” object

The reported croissant-shaped object photographed over the sea in 2017 illustrates another recurring problem. Unusual silhouettes are often treated as evidence of unconventional craft design. Yet shape alone is among the weakest forms of evidence because perspective, lighting, and atmospheric distortion can radically alter appearance.

Without corroborating recordings, radar data, or multiple independent viewpoints, the object’s true nature remains uncertain rather than extraordinary.

Historical sea-light reports

Malta’s older stories of glowing objects emerging from the sea are often cited in UFO discussions. However, researchers examining nineteenth-century reports have proposed natural explanations including volcanic gas emissions, unusual atmospheric conditions, and misinterpreted maritime phenomena. The famous 1845 account near Malta and Sicily has been revisited by investigators who argue that geological and environmental factors deserve consideration before invoking unknown craft. [Times of Malta]timesofmalta.comIt s not a bird it s not a plane it may be a UFO.428455Times of MaltaIt's not a bird,it's not a plane,it may be a UFOJuly 13, 2012 — 13 Jul 2012 — Zfort Ertfay quickly interrupted a brisk walk…Published: July 13, 2012

When Unexplained Does Not Mean Extraordinary

The most useful skeptical principle in UFO investigation is that “unidentified” describes a state of knowledge, not a category of object.

A photograph may remain unidentified because:

None of those factors imply alien spacecraft, secret technology, or paranormal activity.

Studies of UFO reports in other countries have repeatedly found that most cases eventually resolve into aircraft, satellites, astronomical objects, atmospheric effects, balloons, drones, hoaxes, or observational errors. Even advocates of serious UFO study frequently acknowledge that the majority of reports have ordinary explanations. [Facebook]facebook.comVideos and photos across social media have shown an…UFO Sighting Update in Malta! ❕We've been getting lots of messages about those int… [Wikipedia]WikipediaUnidentified flying objectUnidentified flying object

For Malta, the evidence landscape remains particularly thin. Many sightings are known only through media reports, reposted images, or eyewitness accounts lacking supporting data. As a result, the strongest conclusion for many cases is not that something impossible occurred, but that the available evidence is insufficient to identify the object with confidence.

That distinction matters because it preserves room for genuine investigation. A report can remain unresolved while still having a plausible natural explanation. In the Maltese context, where most cases rely on limited documentation, that is often the most defensible position.

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Further Reading

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The UFO Experience

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Strong focus on classification, investigation, and separating explainable cases from unexplained reports.

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UFOs

By Leslie Kean

Highlights the difference between weak sightings and stronger evidence-backed reports.

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Bad Astronomy

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Explains astronomical and observational mistakes often involved in UFO reports.

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The Demon-Haunted World

By Carl Sagan

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Endnotes

1. Source: facebook.com
   Link: https://www.facebook.com/maltatoday/posts/videos-and-photos-across-social-media-have-shown-an-unidentified-object-in-malte/1368872298615894/
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   Videos and photos across social media have shown an...UFO Sighting Update in Malta! ❕We've been getting lots of messages about those int...

2. Source: Wikipedia
   Title: 2012 United Kingdom meteoroid
   Link: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2012_United_Kingdom_meteoroid

3. Source: Wikipedia
   Title: Unidentified flying object
   Link: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Unidentified_flying_object

4. Source: facebook.com
   Link: https://www.facebook.com/timesofmalta/posts/we-need-to-face-the-possibility-that-some-of-the-strange-flying-objects-that-out/10155876677203175/
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   FacebookWe need to face the possibility that some of the strange...According to Kean, “roughly 90 to 95 percent of UFO sightings can be...

5. Source: Wikipedia
   Title: UFO sightings in the United Kingdom
   Link: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/UFO_sightings_in_the_United_Kingdom

6. Source: facebook.com
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   MAviO Conference and Awards: The longest running...Unusal sight at Malta International Airport. With no parking stands available aircra...

7. Source: facebook.com
   Link: https://www.facebook.com/luca.barbetta.50/photos/d41d8cd9/2858183264388939/
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   Photo was shot by credible sources, a Malta Police Officer. Photo was shot from the coast in Marsaxlokk in Malta, and the original scope...

8. Source: facebook.com
   Title: ANOMAL Y IN THE SKY!!!
   Link: https://www.facebook.com/groups/this.is.malta/posts/816371640618921/
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   A video just came in from Qawra...A video just came in from Qawra, Malta showing what witnesses suspect to be a UFO/UAP. Witnesses said...

9. Source: facebook.com
   Link: https://www.facebook.com/TheUnXplainedZone/posts/two-mysterious-objects-fly-across-the-montana-sky-in-what-may-be-the-first-ufo-v/1290722933257136/
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   arly morning sky and even experts are calling it “a true mystery.”...Read more...

10. Source: Wikipedia
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    Portal:Aviation/Anniversaries/JulyJuly 1 · 2012 – A MAFFS-equipped Air Force Lockheed C-130H Hercules, assigned to the 145th Airlift W...

11. Source: timesofmalta.com
    Title: It s not a bird it s not a plane it may be a UFO.428455
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    Times of MaltaIt's not a bird,it's not a plane,it may be a UFOJuly 13, 2012 — 13 Jul 2012 — Zfort Ertfay quickly interrupted a brisk walk...

    Published: July 13, 2012

12. Source: timesofmalta.com
    Title: watch mysterious cloud sky spacex satellites expert.1094369
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    Times of MaltaWhat was that mysterious shape in the night sky?24 Jun 2024 — The “air balloon” and “white line” spotted in the sky on Sund...

13. Source: timesofmalta.com
    Title: UFO in Marsaxlokk.462864
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    Times of Malta'UFO' in Marsaxlokk25 Mar 2013 — An unidentified flying object was caught on camera in Marsaxlokk and the image was posted...

14. Source: timesofmalta3.rssing.com
    Title: UF O over Marsaxlokk?
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    UFO over Marsaxlokk? - Times Of MaltaAn unidentified flying object was caught on camera in Marsaxlokk and the image was posted on a websi...

15. Source: timesofmalta.com
    Title: 1845 glowing objects volcano gas or ufo.591193
    Link: https://timesofmalta.com/article/1845-glowing-objects-volcano-gas-or-ufo.591193
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    Times of Malta1845 glowing objects: volcano gas or UFO?6 Nov 2015 — On June 18, 1845, a fireball appeared near Mount Lebanon at the same...

    Published: June 18, 1845

16. Source: independent.com.mt
    Title: What are they 6736257573
    Link: https://www.independent.com.mt/articles/2024-01-07/blogs-opinions/What-are-they-6736257573
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    What are they?7 Jan 2024 — On June 18, 1845, at 9:30pm, three mysterious glowing objects rose from the sea off Malta, a phenomenon some w...

    Published: June 18, 1845

17. Source: ufosightingsdaily.com
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    UFO Sightings Daily: powerHere is a UFO report that came in today, but occurred back in 2006. Look closely, you can even see into the cle...

18. Source: docs.house.gov
    Link: https://docs.house.gov/meetings/GO/GO12/20241113/117721/HHRG-118-GO12-Wstate-ShellenbergerM-20241113.pdf
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    United States Department Of Defense And The...13 Nov 2024 — “Ratcliffe: UFO sighting numbers 'far greater' than publicly disclosed,” Fox...

19. Source: timesofmalta.com
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    British Defence Ministry releases secret close-encounter...3 Mar 2011 — The files contain over 8,500 pages of UFO sightings and reports...

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    sitemap_articles-2016-3.xml... Malta-as-a-logistics-hub.624719</loc> <lastmod>2022-10-25</lastmod> </url>... police.624652</loc> <lastmo...

    Published: October 25, 2022

Additional References

1. Source: ufosightingsdaily.com
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   UFO Sightings Daily: MaltaAn unidentified flying object was caught on camera in Marsaxlokk and the image was posted on a website document...

2. Source: family.gov.mt
   Link: https://family.gov.mt/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/Annual-Report-2009.pdf
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   REPORTS OF GOVERNMENT DEPARTMENTSThe second year of the 11th Legislature proved to be a very busy year for the Maltese Parliament. Its. 6...

3. Source: sweetstudy.com
   Link: https://www.sweetstudy.com/files/ufo-sightings-large-csv-8453183
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   ufo sighting data explorationU.F.O. shoots at large meteor over Toronto&#44 Canada three times and disintegrates it.... Four Green Meteo...

4. Source: researchgate.net
   Link: https://www.researchgate.net/publication/376891986_A_global_picture_of_unidentified_anomalous_phenomena_Towards_a_cross-cultural_understanding_of_a_potentially_universal_issue

5. Source: arxiv.org
   Link: https://arxiv.org/html/2502.06794v2
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   The New Science of Unidentified Aerospace-Undersea...As a final assessment, it should be noted that very few of the sightings were simil...

6. Source: scribd.com
   Link: https://www.scribd.com/document/54284313/The-World-We-Live-in-1901
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   Events Shaping Our World: 1901-2012 | PDFThe UFO was sighted by the crew of an Air France A320 airliner, and reported to air traffic control...

7. Source: reddit.com
   Title: Have you ever encountered a UFO sighting?
   Link: https://www.reddit.com/r/malta/comments/16vii1u/have_you_ever_encountered_a_ufo_sighting/
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   👽🇲🇹: r/maltaI also recall reading a report saying that in the 1960s UFOs were reported flying over Valletta, though I'm inclined to thin...

8. Source: instagram.com
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   I have seen some incredible phenomena. Most of which happens...

9. Source: youtube.com
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   Ancient Aliens: GIANTS Constructed HUGE Maltese Structures?! (Season 19) | History...

10. Source: youtube.com
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    Bizarre UFO Sightings Spotted By Pilots | Strange But True | Our Life...