Timor Sea: Dutch Sailors Observe Luminous Disc near New Guinea
On February 26, 1942, Dutch sailors on the Timor Sea near New Guinea observed a large luminous disc approaching at great speed, circling their ship for hours.
Background
Dutch sailors on the Timor Sea near New Guinea were on the lookout for enemy aircraft on February 26, 1942, when a large luminous disc approached at great speed. For hours it flew in broad circles around the ship at moderate speed and altitude. The crew initially mistook it for an incoming enemy aircraft, but its behavior — circling persistently without hostile action — was unlike any known aircraft of the period.
This sighting occurred during a period of intense military activity in the Pacific Theater, where Allied forces were on high alert following Japan's rapid advance through Southeast Asia. The incident was noted in intelligence reports as unexplained.
Significance
One of the earliest documented WWII-era UFO sightings in the Pacific Theater, predating the more famous foo fighter reports.