"Ball of fire" over India

While looking to see if any new information had come to light regarding this story, I found another interesting one. It's a few months old, but I did a search, and couldn't find it. Apologies if it's a duplicate.

NEW DELHI, MARCH 3: Civil Aviation authorities are baffled by reports from at least 10 aircraft overflying India that they had seen a “ball of fire” in the air, about 300 nautical miles south west of Delhi, which is somewhere over Gujarat.

Sources have told The Sunday Express that all reports came in almost simultaneously, around 1.45 am this morning, and the matter is being investigated.

The description used by pilots, according to their reports, was that it appeared like a “ball of fire, orange in colour and scattered”. One pilot, in fact, said it looked like a “meteor shower”.

At first, alarmed officials checked whether any aircraft had gone missing or if there was any other disaster in the area. But all this was ruled out by afternoon.

Source.

At least 10 aircraft reported this, that says to me that something was actually out there. It's also quite similar to the reports of the UFOs over the Channel Islands [linked above], and this sighting from Croatia.

Well, I guess going on the complete lack of interest, this sort of thing must be a daily occurrence over India. At least 10 pilots said they saw a UFO. Come on? Anyone?

[edit on 9/5/07 by Implosion]

It was at night (1:45 am), the ball was 'scattered' it was in air, it was burning, it looked like a meteor. Hmmm...do we need any more clues to conclude what it was?



Well, all newspapers these days require a HUGE amount of sensationalism to get their busy readers read a few stories. Imagine, if the paper said -"Meteor seen from planes", no one would have taken a look or discussed about it. Boring news...

DGCA officials said it is unusual for so many pilots to file similar reports, a fact which indicates they did see “something.” However, at altitudes above 26,000 feet, this would be a rare event.

So a whole bunch of pilots don't know a meteor when they see one?