The Whistling Case in the Cape, South Africa

What was reported

Investigated by Prier Wintle from a report by W C Coetzer. At 12.30 on 24 May 1982 seven teachers were strung out along a path near the Maltese Cross in the Cedarberg: four far ahead, then Miss Lahe, then Coetzer's brother, then Coetzer with his child. Under a clear, windless sky Coetzer heard a very high whistling, like a wind-driven generator, for two or three seconds; it came back about every minute and a half, the third time much louder and seemingly overhead, with a Doppler-like shift as if something passed rapidly. His hair stirred as if in wind, the hairs on his arms stood up, and a vibration like an electric shock wave ran through his upper body, without fear. His brother thought a whirling kierrie had been thrown over his head; Miss Lahe thought a large bird had beaten its wings above her. Nobody saw anything.

What Hind made of it

Hind says it may have no UAP connection at all but is a multi-witness case and intriguing; she recalls reading of a similar whistling effect, could not find it in Corliss' Source books, and asks readers for help.

Explanation offered
Glowing methane considered and ruled out; static discharge from an 'electrical wind' as read of in Italy in 1959 raised by Coetzer; telephone lines ruled out; a thrown stick or a bird suggested by the other walkers

In their words

• It might have no UFO correlation at all, but it is a multi-witness case and intriguing all the same.

• They saw nothing but heard a whistling sound of very high frequency.

• It was more like an electric shock wave with a definite frequency.

Cross references

• William R Corliss Source books

Source

Cynthia Hind, UFO Afrinews No 1 (July 1988), spread 19-20

Nearby

Stories within 60 km

• Two lights over the Cederberg beacon 1995 · 51 km