British Airways Boeing 777 narrowly avoids collision with mysterious silver object over Surrey
A British Airways Boeing 777 reported a close encounter with a shiny, silver object at about 5,800 ft while departing Heathrow for New York, prompting an official investigation.
On a scheduled flight from London to New York, a British Airways Boeing 777 climbing out of Heathrow reported a close-range sighting of an unidentified, shiny object at roughly 5,800 ft. The pilot described the object as silver, about the size of four toasters, and moving swiftly in the opposite direction, passing within 50 ft of the aircraft’s right wing. Air traffic controllers logged the report, noting the object's metallic, reflective appearance.
The flight continued safely to its destination, and the UK Airprox Board has launched an official investigation, citing the potential collision risk. Recent unrelated reports of mysterious drones encountered by the RAF during exercises have heightened interest in the incident. Experts say the sighting is unusual for the region, and multiple probes are underway to identify the object.
Why it matters
The incident raises safety concerns for commercial aviation and highlights gaps in detecting unknown aerial objects.
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