On the evenings of June 26th and 27th, 1959, Anglican priest Father William Booth Gill and 37 other staff members at the Boianai Anglican Mission in Papua New Guinea witnessed a large, disc-shaped object hovering near their mission. The most remarkable aspect of the sighting was the observation of humanoid figures on top of the craft who appeared to interact with the witnesses, even waving back.1 This multi-witness event, with its detailed observations of both a craft and its occupants, is considered one of the most compelling close encounters in UFO history.2
The Boianai Sightings
The initial sighting on June 26th involved a bright, white light approaching the mission, which resolved into a solid, circular, disc-shaped object with a wide base and a narrower upper section. It hovered approximately 100 meters above the mission, displaying four "legs" underneath and four glowing "panels" on its side.3 Periodically, the object emitted a shaft of blue light upwards. The following evening, the object returned, and this time, Father Gill and his staff clearly observed four figures emerging onto its top deck. These figures appeared to be engaged in some activity, bending over and raising their arms. When Father Gill and the other witnesses waved at them, the figures on the object reportedly waved back.4
Investigation and Significance
The Father Gill case is classified as a "Close Encounter of the Third Kind" (CE3) due to the observation of animate beings associated with the object. Dr. J. Allen Hynek, a renowned UFO researcher, thoroughly investigated the events and concluded that they were genuine and highly credible.5 While the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) conducted an investigation, their explanations, which included planets and light refraction, were disputed by Father Gill and the other witnesses.6 The compelling nature of the events, with numerous credible witnesses and detailed descriptions of interaction, has made the Father Gill case a cornerstone in the study of UFO phenomena, inspiring books and continuing to be a subject of intense interest.7