21 October, 1978, a young pilot, Frederick Valentich, began a voyage flying to Tasmania over Bass Strait, piloting a small Cessna 182-L aircraft. However, he never made it to his destination.
Could his disappearance be attributed to a UFO that he, and others, reported seeing that evening?
Could his disappearance be attributed to a UFO that he, and others, reported seeing that evening?
A Pilot Disappears
Headlines detailing Valentich's disappearance. On October 21, 1978, at approximately 7pm, a young man by the name of Frederick Valentich disappeared. He is presumed dead, for his body and the aircraft he was piloting have never been found. His disappearance, along with the Beaumont children, is one of Australia's most enduring and enigmatic mysteries.
This case however, unlike the missing Adelaide siblings, has a paranormal twist, with it being claimed that Valentich may have been killed or abducted by a UFO.
Frederick Valentich was born on 9th June, 1958, and lived, together with his 3 siblings and parents, in a suburb of Melbourne, the capital city of Victoria in south-eastern Australia. A budding pilot, he was a member of the Air Cadets, an organisation aimed at youth who wish to be trained particular skills to pursue careers in the military. He twice enlisted in the RAAF (Royal Australian Air Force) but had been rejected as he didn't have enough qualifications.
This case however, unlike the missing Adelaide siblings, has a paranormal twist, with it being claimed that Valentich may have been killed or abducted by a UFO.
Frederick Valentich was born on 9th June, 1958, and lived, together with his 3 siblings and parents, in a suburb of Melbourne, the capital city of Victoria in south-eastern Australia. A budding pilot, he was a member of the Air Cadets, an organisation aimed at youth who wish to be trained particular skills to pursue careers in the military. He twice enlisted in the RAAF (Royal Australian Air Force) but had been rejected as he didn't have enough qualifications.
Frederick Valentich. He was issued his student pilot licence early in the year before he vanished, and he received his private pilot licence in September of that same year. He was aiming to be a commercial airline pilot.
Valentich also had an avid interest in UFO's and was said to watch movies and read books regarding the topic. However, as well as being fascinated he expressed fear of the unknown, once saying he was worried about what UFO's were capable of.
His father, Guido, was quoted as saying that his son had taken the study of UFO's up as a hobby, using information he had obtained from the Air Force.
Valentich also had an avid interest in UFO's and was said to watch movies and read books regarding the topic. However, as well as being fascinated he expressed fear of the unknown, once saying he was worried about what UFO's were capable of.
His father, Guido, was quoted as saying that his son had taken the study of UFO's up as a hobby, using information he had obtained from the Air Force.
The Fateful Flight and Last Words
Valentich and his Cessna 182L. Earlier in the day that he vanished, a flight plan was filed at Moorabbin Airport, with his plan being to fly to King Island, one of the many islands that make up Tasmania, the south-eastern state of Australia. The journey meant he had to travel through Bass Strait, an area of sea situated between Tasmania and the mainland. Due mainly to its strong and stormy waves, Bass Strait has a reputation as an area noted for maritime disappearances and shipwrecks, with some of those lost having been large vessels.
Valentich left Moorabbin Airport around 6:15pm and just over 50 minutes later asked Melbourne air traffic control about any other aircraft in the vicinity. When he was told there was no other traffic in the area he reported a large unknown aircraft that was lit up by four landing lights, also stating that the craft was moving at high speed and had passed about 1,000 feet over him. He then reported that the aircraft was approaching him from the East.
Valentich left Moorabbin Airport around 6:15pm and just over 50 minutes later asked Melbourne air traffic control about any other aircraft in the vicinity. When he was told there was no other traffic in the area he reported a large unknown aircraft that was lit up by four landing lights, also stating that the craft was moving at high speed and had passed about 1,000 feet over him. He then reported that the aircraft was approaching him from the East.
Transcript of final radio transmissions. After a few minutes of conversation, in which he described the aircraft in more detail (it was metallic and had a green light), and had confirmed his altitude, the craft seemed to have vanished. However, seconds later, Valentich reported that the craft was now approaching from the south-west, and 29 seconds later he reported having engine problems before exclaiming "It's hovering..... and it's not an aircraft!"
An unidentified noise, described as "scraping sounds of a metallic nature", followed for the next 20 seconds before communication went dead forever.
Valentich failed to make it to King Island. A sea and air search was launched, with 2 Air Force planes searching the Strait for the next week. A two-week investigation by the Department of Transport was unable to determine a cause, but was "presumed fatal" for Valentich.
An unidentified noise, described as "scraping sounds of a metallic nature", followed for the next 20 seconds before communication went dead forever.
Valentich failed to make it to King Island. A sea and air search was launched, with 2 Air Force planes searching the Strait for the next week. A two-week investigation by the Department of Transport was unable to determine a cause, but was "presumed fatal" for Valentich.
Nearby UFO Activity...
Strange object photographed near Cape Otway. Photos taken by a plumber attempting to capture the sunset near Cape Otway on the southern coast off Victoria showed a "fast moving object exiting the water" near the local lighthouse. The pictures indicate that the object, which can’t be identified, was moving at a speed of 200mph. The pictures are said to have been taken 20 minutes before Valentich reported engine troubles.
After his disappearance became public knowledge, many eyewitnesses came forward to claim they saw bright lights in the sky, with one person claiming they saw a bright green light trailing Valentich and that he was in a steep dive at the time.
Information regarding his description of the craft was kept from the public until 1982, and many UFOlogists cite this as significant to the theory that a UFO was responsible for his death or disappearance, as well as what he described seeing to air traffic control.
Did Frederick Valentich crash into Bass Strait after perhaps becoming disorientated by a UFO? Or was he abducted by aliens? Will we ever know for sure?
UPDATE
In 2004 Adelaide researcher and skeptic Keith Basterfield found a supposedly "lost or destroyed" official file on the disappearance while searching the National Archives online. The 315-page file states that wreckage, possibly from a Cessna, was observed by a pilot sometime after the disappearance but it was presumed sunk before a position could be fixed on its location. Also, parts of aircraft had been discovered off Bass Straight five years after Valentich disappeared, and it is concluded that he and aircraft crashed into the sea and sunk, caused by disorientation caused by possible meteorite or the planet Venus.
However this is not conclusive proof of what actually occurred in 1978.
After his disappearance became public knowledge, many eyewitnesses came forward to claim they saw bright lights in the sky, with one person claiming they saw a bright green light trailing Valentich and that he was in a steep dive at the time.
Information regarding his description of the craft was kept from the public until 1982, and many UFOlogists cite this as significant to the theory that a UFO was responsible for his death or disappearance, as well as what he described seeing to air traffic control.
Did Frederick Valentich crash into Bass Strait after perhaps becoming disorientated by a UFO? Or was he abducted by aliens? Will we ever know for sure?
UPDATE
In 2004 Adelaide researcher and skeptic Keith Basterfield found a supposedly "lost or destroyed" official file on the disappearance while searching the National Archives online. The 315-page file states that wreckage, possibly from a Cessna, was observed by a pilot sometime after the disappearance but it was presumed sunk before a position could be fixed on its location. Also, parts of aircraft had been discovered off Bass Straight five years after Valentich disappeared, and it is concluded that he and aircraft crashed into the sea and sunk, caused by disorientation caused by possible meteorite or the planet Venus.
However this is not conclusive proof of what actually occurred in 1978.
Written by Matty Sweeney 2013
Put together by Ashley Hall 2013
Put together by Ashley Hall 2013
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