THE PRINCE RUPERT PHOTOGRAPH

By Bill Oliver - January 2, 1998

June 20,1996. As Frank Robinson, a fisherman in the town of Prince Rupert, British Columbia, watched the noon hour news on television the real news was happening in the skies outside his home. At 12:12 pm, Frank looked outside to see why his dog was so excited and what all the barking was about. It was at this time Frank glanced up at approximately 45 degrees to see what was first thought to be a skydiver with a parachute in the rarely clear Prince Rupert sky. The strange object was silent and appeared to be no more than a mile or two away as it fell in the sky.

Alertly, Frank grabbed his camera and snapped the remaining four photos on the roll of film. It was at this time the object, at first believed to be a skydiver, was travelling in an easterly direction. Frank then picked up his video camcorder and proceeded to film two and a half minutes of tape before the object which was now plainly not a skydiver vanished in a flash of light to the north east. Frank sent a written report giving full details to the local RCMP detachment as well as contacting the local Prince Rupert newspaper about his rather amazing sighting. Frank also contacted The National UFO Reporting Center in Seattle, Washington giving a fully detailed report as well as sending them a copy of the video.

Although the video was less than earth shattering to the directors of UFO*BC the still photos were much more convincing. Although vague in their original format they took on a much more impressive appearance when enlarged. As can be seen in the photo added in this article a peculiar shaped craft, not unlike a frying pan or perhaps a "flying pan", can plainly be seen. Black in colour the object appears to have an intense white light on top and seems to exude light in opposition to being a reflection.

Mr. Robinson was also privy to a previous sighting in Prince Rupert in October 1995, when he viewed a total of seven unidentified objects flying in a northerly direction. Frank became the recipient of the X Chronicles Award for his sighting report and was also featured in the outstanding British "UFO Magazine." Although much later ,UFO*BC was contacted and generously supplied with a package of photos, clippings and a video by Frank in which we are most grateful.

It should be noted here that Prince Rupert has a long history of UFO activity with reports as far back as 1952 being reported in local newspapers (also supplied by Frank) of townspeople seeing strange flying discs in the week before Christmas of that year. Reports were also sent to local newspapers of UFO activity in the Prince Rupert area in April 1976, witnessed by local RCMP. As well, various reports by fishermen off the coast of Prince Rupert were forthcoming in the 1990's with some objects reportedly tracked on radar travelling at a staggering 3500 mph. We welcome any other reports our readers may have from this area of British Columbia, or anywhere else in the province.

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