Was there a cover up over the Dag Hammerskjold air crash?

In 1961 -on the 18th of September - an aircraft carrying Dag Hammerskjold (UN Secretary General) crashed near Ndola in what was then Northern Rhodesia. The crash has never been explained.

As a young photo journalist I was dispatched to the site - it was the first time I had ever seen anything like the carnage. There were pieces of aircraft, baggage and bodies in the trees of the quite dense forest area. The explanation for the disaster has never been published - or perhaps known or covered up and was put down to pilot error.

Very close to this time there was a photograph taken of a sighting made on the Northern Rhodesia/Congo border. It was of a metallic disc-like object. It was taken with a cheap Agfa camera from a helicopter.

When military authorities heard that photographs were being taken of such objects during military exercises in the border area they gave an order for all negatives and photographs to be destroyed.

A man who can only be identified as 'Bob' kept one out of interest. I understood from the late Cynthia Hind that the one remaining photograph was passed onto Spaulding of Ground Saucer Watch.

I have never heard the outcome of the analysis.

Some of the people who viewed the sighting thought it might be a top secret UN craft but from their reports the velocity of the craft plus its shape did not fit into anything they knew was being used in the military exercises.

UFOs on the Road to Beitbridge

A young couple about to make a new life for themselves in South Africa travelled by car from what was then Salisbury to Durban in South Africa. They decided to travel at night. There was some moonlight bu the moon set at 2:15 am. About 10km from Umvuma - a small town the couple saw a figure at the side of the road. It had a strange shiny appearance - almost metallic. Some fifteen minutes later they saw a light on a hill top some distance way. The light appeared to move quite close to the car and to keep pace with them.

The car lights started to fade leaving them with no light except what came from the strange object above them. the interior instrument lights in the car also faded away.

They realised that they had lost control of the situation and the car was gaining speed. it was almost as if someone or thing had taken over the driving of the vehicle.

They travelled on passing two buses with lights blazing - doors open - but no passengers

The temperature inside the car started to drop rapidly. they continued on until reaching Ft Victoria (Masvingo). Stopping at a gas station they discovered that their lights were working again.. What happened that night?

On May 12, 1980 at 6:00 PM a brilliant blue disc hovered at a low altitude for ten minutes over Bulawayo. It shot straight up, stopped, then shot up again and was gone. (Source: Cynthia Hind, UFO Afri News, July 1990). I have not been able to establish if this was seen in other parts of the country. Please let me know if you saw this disk

I came across this very interesting link this morning refering to a sighting in 1974 in the Ft Victoria Area

http://ufosightingreport.com/ufo-seen-1974.

I wonder if anyone else witnessed this object? I have not heard of any other sighting at that time.

Ariel School UFO Sighting Video

Editor Randy Nickerson has worked on both sides of the camera, as an actor and a filmmaker. He has a keen interest in the human condition and trauma recovery. His most recent work includes a film, titled "A Silence in the Heard", about the significance of listening and silence on an interpersonal and global level. Randy is a graduate of the Institute of Core Energetics, an evolutionary body therapy training that integrates all aspects of humanity - the emotional, physical, intellectual, and spiritual. He is currently a faculty member at the institute and has a private practice in New York City. Randy is also a classical pianist and nature photographer.

In 1994, Harvard Professor of Psychiatry John E. Mack, M.D. traveled to Zimbabwe with research associate Dominique Callimanopulos to study one of the most extraordinary sightings of a UFO in recent times. At the Ariel School in Ruwa, Zimbabwe, sixty-two children between the ages of eight and twelve reported seeing a UFO and “strange beings” during morning recess. In 2007, on behalf of the John E. Mack Institute, Dominique Callimanopulos will undertake production of a non-commercial, edited video program presenting John Mack’s interviews with the schoolchildren and faculty. These interviews constitute one of the most impressive UFO sighting and alien encounter cases in recent history, and serve as an exemplary demonstration of the interviewing skills and sensitivity John Mack exercised when working with people reporting extraordinary experiences.The goal of producing this video program is to preserve the historical record of this compelling case in a format that can be accessible to students and educators.The program is being made from original Betacam footage that was shot between November 28 and December 6, 1994. The John Mack Institute is seeking donations to produce the full length program. We welcome your contribution to this unique and historic project. A preview reel has been prepared by Dominique Callimanopulos and editor Randall Nickerson for viewing by prospective funders.

For more information, please contact:Dominique Callimanopulosdomcall@att.net
Dominique Callimanopulos, M.Ed.,

Producer Dominique Callimanopulos collaborated with John Mack from 1993-1998, exploring the cross-cultural aspects of alien encounters. An anthropologist by training, Dominique has also worked as a counseling psychologist and currently devotes her time to projects with positive social impact through her company, Elevate, Inc.

Tokolosh and UFO's - is there a connection?

I found this mention on http://www.vanhunks.com/tokolosh1.html and thought it was relevant. A very interesting theory

"On September 16th, 1994, three flying saucers were seen hovering over Ariel School, in Ruwa, Zimbabwe. In Zimbabwe, UFOs are so common that local people have an indigenous word for the flying saucer, "ruserwa". One of the spacecraft landed, and a small being with long black hair and large eyes emerged. The being certainly satisfied many descriptions of the tokoloshe, and some pupils took it to be one, and fled for their lives.

Perhaps tokoloshis do have an extraterrestrial origin. Some of the children felt that the alien was telepathic. The incident was investigated by the Zimbabwean ufologist Cynthia Hind, and by the abduction expert Dr. John Mack. "

As a note of interest the following story i was told is relevent to this article. The person concerned was not the kind of person to believe in ghosts or ufos or tokolosh and yet he was convinced this was a being not of our world:

At about the time of the Ariel school sighting a young friend of ours claimed to have seen what he thought was a tokolosh.

He lived in a house on the northern outskirts of Harare. next to the property was an empty plot that had running water at the lowest part of the land.

He had been walking in the plot when he came across a small creature with bulging eyes which appeared to be startled at being found. The creature gave chase to our friend who fled the plot as quickly as he could. Could this have been an alien being? He never went back to try and see the creature again.

1985 Ufo Sighting

I don't know the exact source of this article but the story has been documented a number of times.

Zimbabwe UFO

Back in 1985, a round object topped with a cone was seen by dozens of peopleover the skies of Zimbabwe. With pilots, air traffic controllers, andcivilians among the witnesses, that country turned to aeronautical expertsfor an explanation. Now, a year and a half later, Zimbabwe's Air Commodore David Thorne sees no explanation in sight. "We have not been able to identify the object," he says. "We have had to classify it as a UFO."Although he didn't personally witness the object, Thorne reports that "thecraft was spotted as it streaked over southern Zimbabwe. Then air traffic controllers watched it hover and tracked it on radar. 2 Air Force jets went after the object, and the pilots described it as incredibly shiny, reflectingthe colors of the sunset. Our estimates indicate that the UFO was traveling at twice the speed of sound. And when it got dark outside, we realized the object was emitting its own light. Our pilots are completely reliable,"Thorne contends. "This cannot be dismissed as a plane, weather balloon, or natural phenomenon."But UFO skeptic James Oberg has his doubts. "The evidential value of unresearchable sightings in Zimbabwe is zero, however sincere the witnesses,"he says. "Besides, pilots are not always calm, dispassionate observers. They tend to perceive any visual stimulus in its most dangerous possible configuration -- as another craft. That's a good characteristic of a safe pilot, but not a good characteristic of a UFO witness." Oberg also points out that "Zimbabwe is sort of on the edge of the civilized world in terms of tracking things that might cause this kind of UFO report -- like Russian and South African reconnaissance planes that, I'm sure, are flying over that airspace."

(The Times, London, August 3, ) On July 22, 1985, in western Zimbabwe, a UFO was witnessed by dozens of persons on the ground and in the control tower at Bulawayo Airport, as well as by the pilots of two Hawk jets that were scrambled to pursue it. The UFO was also tracked on radar. The UFO was very bright and rounded, with a short cone above it, and evaded the Hawk jets.

UFO sighting in Zimbabwe

I was interviewed for this documentary and think that it will be a very interesting film giving a very balanced view of the sighting. O H L

UFO sighting in Zimbabwe
26 August 2008, 09:14


By Tom Powell

American film-maker Randall Nickerson is in Cape Town this week seeking inspiration for a documentary he is putting together about a UFO sighting in Zimbabwe in 1994.During morning break on September 14 of that year, 62 schoolchildren between the ages of eight and 12 saw a strange craft land 150 metres from the Ariel School in Ruwa, from which two small beings emerged which were described as having "big eyes like rugby balls".The children's individual descriptions of the phenomenon were so similar that news of the sighting spread around the globe. Nickerson was approached with footage taken by the late Pulitzer Prize-winning Professor John Mack, who travelled to Zimbabwe to interview the children after the event.

Nickerson said: "This is a story the world needs to see. Personally, I think it's moving. I've found hundreds, if not thousands, of people who believe it and couldn't find anyone who didn't. It blew my mind when I saw it." Although Nickerson admits the footage of the event makes it difficult to disprove the phenomenon, he doesn't want his film to be biased. "I don't want to steer the documentary in any direction at all. I'd rather present all the evidence and let people make up their own minds."Refusing to believe so many people can be mistaken, Nickerson is visiting southern Africa to shed light on those events.Having visited the school itself, Nickerson is now in Cape Town to track down some witnesses and investigate some "unearthly" sightings that occurred in South Africa, including two UFO sightings in Port Shepstone and Johannesburg in April. Anyone who saw the event in Zimbabwe can contact Nickerson on 082 815 4731 or by e-mail at rsnick@gmail.comtom.powell@inl.co.za
This article was originally published on page 4 of The Cape Times on August 26, 2008

People need to tell their stories

People appear to be very 'scared' of the unknown. I have been meeting with people here in Zimbabwe ad trying to discuss UFO phenomenon. Many are unwilling to admit that they may have seen anything.

If you have had a sighting related to Zimbabwe - please let me know!

South African Sightings

I hear from a friend who is in South Africa interviewing people for a documentary on UFOs that there are many people coming forward with stories of their encounters. Zimbabwe has been a rich source of UFO sightings but people here seem to be reticent to talk out. if you have any stories to relate please let me know by mailing me at olind@yoafrica.com. Lets find out more about experiences here in Zimbabwe.

No new sightings

I have been silent due to massive power failures (20 hours yesterday) and internet failure. One sometimes feels very cut off from the outside world when this happens. With all the dreadful things happening around us I was hoping that we might experience some presence - but nothing.


We sit here in July 2008 and since my last experience in May have seen nothing or experienced any new sightings. Have we been deserted? I hope not! I have had a number of people reporting lost time experiences but nothing concrete.

Red flash in the sky

On Thursday 15 may 2008 at approximately 6:30pm my family and I were sitting outside in our garden in the northern suburbs of Harare. There was little light as we had experienced another power cut (they are averaging 16 to 19 hours a day now). We had three candles positioned on a table but no other light source - either in our garden or the ones around us. The gardens in our area are just over an acre each in size.

We saw three successive red flashes in the sky - not like a meteorite but a lighting up of the sky over a small area - the area became very red and then reverted to the night sky. This happened in the same part of the sky at intervals of about three seconds. Each event lasted for about the same time.

What caused this? We have never experienced this phenomena before.

My Interest in Ariel School

I was interested in the Ariel School sighting from the beginning. perhaps because of the sighting that my husband and i had experienced at about the same time. Did the two tie in? Were they connected? But why were we brought into the loop?

I would not find out until some years later - yes there was a reason.

I was approached to see if I could find out any further information on the landing. I joined the Ruwa Garden club and spoke to the women there - yes they did have some information but not much. Some had had children at the school but the children had not seen anything - they had been in another part of the grounds. I heard stories about parents that did not believe what had been seen. Later these parents began to believe when they saw the drawings made by their children and talked to other parents.

Ruwa is a very conservative town. People go to church on a Sunday and have been known to have arranged for the removal of a vicar when they thought him too 'modern'. These people do not discuss UFOs or ghosts or other occurrences. These things do not play a part in their lives. However I did find out some glimmerings of interest and it was suggested that I visit the school and speak to the headmistress who had been a teacher at the school at the time of the sighting. At least i was getting somewhere.

Why do I believe in UFOs?

I haven't always lived in Zimbabwe - and my real interest in UFOs started in Ghana. When I moved to Zimbabwe I found my interest growing. I heard of Cynthia Hind and later met her and talked in detail to her about her researches and experiences.

I do feel very stongly that we would have to be very egotistic to believe that earth was the only place inhabited by human life.

There must be someone out there who has made a better way of living within their environment that we have done here on earth. Beings that are genuinely interested in preserving their worlds must exist.

Why is it that Zimbabwe, and indeed Southern Africa, has been singled out by people from other worlds? The number of visitations have been exceptional and people here are aware of them. You will start off a conversation on the subject and find people willing to join in and exchange views - give personal experiences and discuss on valid level.

Yes I believe in UFOs - I have experienced their presence and fully believe we are being 'investigated' by people from another world or worlds.

Another sighting in September 1994

Around the same time that the UFO sighting and landing occurred in Ruwa at Ariel School a similar sighting occurred at a private school in Hilton South Africa. Hilton is a town north of Pietermaritzburg in the south of the country.

Hilton College is a private full boarding senior school for boys located near the small town of Hilton in the KwaZulu-Natal Midlands of South Africa. It is one of the most prestigious schools in South Africa.

I have tried to find out if there is anyone who remembers this event but although making contact with the present school secretary, I have been unable to substanciate the sighting. I have today e-mailed one of the old boys associations to find out if anyone can remember the incident.

I would be pleased to hear from anyone who might be reading this who has any further information.

Ariel School Sighting

Picture source - Hesemann

The sighting at Ariel School near Ruwa on 16 September 1994 is one of the best documented and well known sightings of an unidentified flying object.


Something landed in a schoolyard in Ruwa, Zimbabwe. This was witnessed by 62 schoolchildren, who had little or no exposure to TV or popular press accounts of UFOs. Cynthia Hind interviewed them the day after the encounter and had them draw pictures of what they had seen. The event lasted about fifteen minutes, the children said, before the spaceships faded from view. Some of the chilren expereinced fear at the sighting but the children reported also being curious and fascinated by the strange beings they saw, whose eyes in particular commanded an intense attention.



The remarkable thing about this sighting is that although the children had not been exposed to knowledge about UFOs they all drew basically the same images without being influenced by the other students or adults.

The story can be read about in fuller details by following the links given on this page.

My First UFO Experience

I am often asked what started my interest in UFOs and definitely it was an experience which I had in Ghana in the 1960s. However I have come to realise that my first UFO experience may have been years before. It was only recently that I recalled what must have been an encounter which occurred earlier in my life. As this happened 50 odd years ago I will recount what i remember of that late afternoon.

I lived with my parents in Ft Lauderdale, Florida. We were returning along the 'Sunshine Highway' from a small town called 'Hollywood' north of Lauderdale when my father found that the car was coming to a stop on the highway. He was of the opinion that the vehicle had run out of gas and cursed the fuel tank display for not showing the correct level of fuel!

Everything was very still and silent - no others cars around. He tried to start the car repeatedly but had no luck and got out of the vehicle to try and ascertain where we were and how far it might be to the nearest gas station. I was looking out of the car window and saw something in the sky which I presumed was a plane travelling away from us in a southerly direction.

My father by this time realised that we were far from any source of fuel and got back into the car and turned the key in the ignition. The car started up immediately! He made a remark about probably having flooded the engine and we we were on our way. the fuel gauge showed that we had more than enough fuel to get home but he stopped and filled up the tank at the first gas station we came to.

I did not think about this incident for many years until I was reading reports of sightings on this part of the Florida highway - and realised that the reported incidents were very similar to what I had experienced.

Did we have a fuel problem or was it something more?

UFOs OVER MANA POOLS

This story comes to me from the owner of a well known tour operator in Zimbabwe.

On the morning of 14 September 1994 a number of objects were seen in the Mana Pools area near the Zambezi River. They were travelling from Zambia to Zimbabwe. They were also seen over Harare and then later in Durban at four or five minutes past nine in the morning. They appear to have been travelling very quickly and were very high in the sky.

Mana Pools,a World Heratege Site and game reserve, is a wild and undeveloped area taking up a large percentage of the northern part of Zimbabwe.

This was a very interesting sighting and similar to one still being investigated in Canada. Here in 1913 objects were seen to proceed along the coast of Brazil at high altitude and at high speed.

The Zimbabwe Mana Pools sighting was just two days before the Ariel School landing in Ruwa and could have been connected.

LOST TIME - STRANGE ROUTING

Mr H was driving from Harare to the north sometime late one afternoon in September 1985. It was a road he knew well and had travelled many times before. The route he was taking took him through undulating country with hills on both sides of the road.

He was concentrating on the winding road when suddenly he realised he was no longer on the road he had started off on. The road he was then travelling on was straight and flat!

He stopped the car and tried to find out where he might be. He looked at the clock and at his watch and realised that a space of time of an hour and a half had gone by since he had last checked the time. He decided to turn the car around and head back the way he had obviously come from in hopes of finding out where he was. Within a short time he found himself at the junction to the road he should have been travelling. It was by now nearly dark.

On returning to his home he checked his mileage records. (He always kept a note of what mileage he travelled on every trip he did.) To his amazement he had twenty eight miles that he could not account for on this particular journey.

Was he abducted? Why the extra mileage? What happened in that hour and a half?

OBJECTS SIGHTED NEAR BINDURA

The following case was related to me by a friend who used to live in Glendale a farming community north of Harare. He was on his way back from Bindura to Glendale driving along the main Bindura/Harare road. In the car were his wife and two young sons. He noted a reddish light behind the car - his wife also noted the strange object. Within a few minutes it was seen over the car and appeared to be keeping up with the vehicle, which by this time, my friend (who we will refer to as Mr P), was driving at considerable speed. It was joined by a number of other, similar objects - he estimated about 12 in total. Unable to get away from them he stopped the car and he and his wife got out of the vehicle to get a better view - the objects hovered above the scene and then sped off towards Bindura. He could not remember the exact date but estimates it was probably some time in August 1985.

My source is a very reliable person not prone to exaggeration and with a very open mind.

STRANGE GLOW AND SKY BOOMS RATTLE ZIMBABWE

So went the headlines - what did we really experience?
The report read:

"On Thursday, May 21, 1998, at 10:20 p.m., a brilliant white glow lit up the eastern horizon in Zimbabwe, a nation in southern Africa. The strange glow was seen from Harare, the capital, to Glendale, a distance of 75 kilometers (45 miles).

In Glendale, the mysterious glow persisted for 20 minutes, and "the light was strongest" there.

Immediately following the light's appearance, a serious of explosive sky booms was heard in Harare and towns to the east, including Rusape, Murewa amd Macheke.

The glow was also seen in Goromonzi, near Ruta (RUWA), approximately 40 kilometers (24 miles) from Harare. In 1996, a UFO reportedly landed on the playground of an elementary school in Goromonzi, and about a dozen aliens spoke for 15 minutes with the 60 children playing there.

The case is being investigated by Cynthia Hind, Zimbabwe's foremost ufologist. (Many thanks to Jeroen Wierda of Picard UFO Research International and Odette for this report.)"

What we experienced has never been fully explained. My husband and I woke to a rumbling which appeared to come from below the earth and following a path below our property. The light flash was seen through closed curtains and lasted for some minutes. The sound was like that of an atomic explosion and seemed to run along the ground. Quite amazing.

We have had reports from Messina in South Africa and Mutare on the Mocambique border that they also experienced this strange phenomenon.

What ever it was there appears to have been no 'remains', no local sightings, no damage done. There were no reports of earthquake activity and surely this would not have been accompanied by a flash of light that lasted for some time in the sky.

What was it?