UAP - A 747 pilot's sightings

Sighting took place during a flight with a 737 from Amsterdam to Malaga on the late afternoon of Jan 23 2010. We noticed a certain object far ahead of us showing a rounded rectangular shape as if we were looking in the rear side of a contrail.

But we were flying at 41.000 ft and there is hardly any traffic above us at these altitudes. We were on a 'direct route' from Pamplona (PPN) in the Madrid FIR to Malaga (thus not on a formal airway) and saw the object far, far ahead of us all the time, not changing direction. We were unable to estimate its distance, so judging its altitude was near impossible, but in case it was another commercial airliners, we guessed it might have been 100 (nautical) miles ahead of us, possibly much further. With a 100 miles distance in mind, it was flying much higher than any commercial traffic so our curiosity was spiked.

While still flying in the north of Spain, we asked Madrid ATC if there was any known traffic ahead and above us. They told us there was no traffic at all, and wondered why we asked. So, we told them we saw an object far ahead of us and rather large. So we were just casually wondering what it was. He immediately asked us to contact the military air traffic control frequency and tell them what we saw. Military air traffic control was prompt, interested and and took serious note of all we saw.
He confirmed there was no other traffic at all, all the way down to Morocco; no military activity, no commercial traffic, no weather balloons; nothing. We saw the stationary object all the time for an hour at least, until we descended into the clouds over Malaga at position CRISA, far to the south of the Iberian peninsula. I've included some photos of that event, though I admit they are very vague and are hardly any help.

In short:

• Object was visible for over an hour.
• We saw it with our own eyes and my camera captured it.
• The shape was cigar-like and completely unlike anything else I've ever seen in the sky before or since.
• It was something physical in our atmosphere since it was backlit (if it would have been outside of our atmosphere it would not have been a shadow but reflecting light and thus light, like a planet or the ISS is visible because of reflecting light back to Earth).
• It was far away from us and did not move in any way relative to us for over an hour, it must have therefore been at a considerable altitude.
• it was stationary laterally; it might have been moving to/from us but since it remained stable and the same size for us, that seems unlikely.
• Madrid Air Traffic Control was very interested and quickly transferred us to a military Air Traffic Controller who took our sighting seriously and wanted to know all the details. He also confirmed there was no known traffic, weather balloons or any military activities ahead of us at any altitude all over Spain.

This is by no means we saw something extraterrestrial or truly exotic, but it is something I have never seen before or since, nor do any of my colleagues.
The image is being examined by the French organisation IPACO, results will be published when their analysis is finished.

Greece, probably the island of Mykonos or similar, late evening/night (not noted in logbook at the time).

After landing (Fokker 50) at night, we made a 180' turn on the runway and during the turn we saw a bright light appearing in the sky at extremely high altitude. It moved instantly (distance about one finger tip width with extended arm) disappeared, appeared again, moved roughly same distance, disappeared again, etc, about 3 times. Before it appeared roughly 2 times that distance and instantly shot off at ludicrous speed, without acceleration: just instant speed and it was gone from sight.
Estimated altitude was unknown, but our estimation was 'extremely high': higher than any regular commercial traffic. Looked like a star almost. Speed is impossible to judge because of unknown altitude, but IF altitude was 30,000-40,000 ft (regular commercial traffic), it would have been Mach 10 or 20+ at least. No visible trail was left.
The US Carrier Strike Group 2 with the USS Theodore Roosevelt (CVN-71) aircraft carrier was passing by in the Mediterranean on it's way to the Persian Gulf that night for the Second Gulf War. This was mentioned in airspace closure (NOTAMS) as well.
Unknown if these events are connected.

Probably around Neurenberg, exact date and time unknown (not noted in logbook unfortunately).

Ball of white light falling through layers of clouds, vertically down, at night. Speed was very fast.
Fokker 50, flying around 20,000 ft. Noticed bright light falling vertically down, illuminating lower layer of clouds before/while falling through it. No ATC (Air Traffic Control) call, no other aircraft calls over the radio. Capt was as surprised as I was. Rest of flight uneventful.

Adriatic sea around the Greek/Albanian border, roughly 20 km from the coastline.
Boeing 737 flying northbound along the Greek/Albania coastline during daylight.
Both of us suddenly saw a bright white ball of light falling/moving vertically down into the Adriatic Sea, perhaps 10-30 km from the coastline, plummeting into Albanian airspace/coastal waters.
Greek Air Traffic Control confirmed to us in an annoyed and bored tone that there was no military activity whatsoever taking place and just transferred us to the Albanian controller and nothing was said or done since. Neither of us had any clue what it was and left it for what it was.
No splash, light just disappeared into the sea. All of it happened within 2 seconds.
There was no clouds at all for as far as the eyes could see: perfectly clear weather. NO thunderstorms in the vicinity whatsoever, ruling out any 'ball lightning' or strange lightning strikes.

These are the lenses I currently use in the cockpit:

• Nikon AF 10.5mm f/2.8G ED DX Fisheye
• Nikon AF-S 14-24mm f/2.8G ED
• Nikon AF-S 24-70mm F/2.8E ED VR

I have no clue and I don't want to speculate too much, quite frankly.

I'm coming public with my sightings hoping to make the current UAP subject more approachable, get rid of the stigma and keep the global discussion about the topic going.