Metallic Disc Lands Near Marignane Airport Runway In 1952

On October 27 1952 at Marignane Airport near Marseille France several airport employees and pilots reported a striking encounter with an unidentified flying object.

Around 5 PM witnesses described a large metallic disc that descended silently and hovered just above the ground near the runway before ascending rapidly and vanishing.

The object was estimated to be about 20 meters in diameter with a smooth reflective surface and no visible markings or propulsion system.

Official reports from French aviation authorities documented the sighting and noted that no conventional aircraft matched the description.

Multiple independent witnesses provided consistent accounts ruling out misidentification or hoax.

This incident remains one of the early well documented European UFO cases from the 1950s wave and contributed to growing interest in aerial phenomena among French military and scientific circles.

No physical evidence was recovered but the credibility of the observers lent weight to the event.