NUFORC Sighting 180524

Occurred: 1994-08-12 20:30 Local - Approximate
Reported: 2024-02-21 14:53 Pacific
Duration: 2 and then 15 minutes
No of observers: 2

Location: Athens, MO, USA
Location details: The event occurred on and around the riverbank and the Des Moines River

Shape: Disk
Color: Metallic w/ lights
Estimated Size: 50 feet across, 15-20 high
Viewed From: Land
Direction from Viewer: Nearly overhead, then east and southeast meandering over river
Angle of Elevation: 85
Closest Distance: 200 feet, directly overhead
Estimated Speed: 5-20 miles an hour
Characteristics: Lights on object, Aircraft nearby

Fishing in evening w/ friend, disk appeared slowly over tree line above us and lowered over river and followed river until out of sight

A high school buddy and I went fishing on the Des Moines River near Athens, Missouri, while I was back from college. We got there around 7 pm and fished until the event. This occurred in or around Aug of 1994. We were having no luck and getting bored. We were not drinking or using drugs. At some point as it was getting or just got dark we became aware of a large disk-shaped craft moving overhead of us coming over the treeline. The disk then lowered itself below the treeline (@25-30') over the river. We stared stunned and didn't speak. It may have been closer than 200' away when overhead at its closest. At the time it transitioned from directly overhead to lower than the trees it was nearly still. It was large - maybe 50' across by 20' high, and there was a row of multi-colored lights. There was the faintest of hums. Everything got eerily silent. We watched and then "rubber-necked" it until out of sight. We watched it slowly meander along the very crooked Des Moines River. Once out of sight, we started talking to each other. This went on until a jet fighter streaked overhead in the direction the craft traveled. He speculated it came from Fort Madison, IA. I have no idea if that is true. I also am unsure of the exact date or time...close though. I do know that he made me promise not to talk about it. I kinda wanted to. He said he didn't want people to think he was crazy. He would live in Kahoka his entire life, whereas, I would move away. We never spoke again about it until 3 years ago (nearly 27 later). The problem for him is that we were so close to it, that we knew it had to be either an alien craft or a super top-secret craft of ours. We couldn't say it was some far-off light acting strange and dismiss it. At the time I was positive an alien craft....

Posted 2024-03-13