Sightings of Unidentified Flying Objects in Ladakh, Nepal, Sikkim and Bhutan
This CIA Information Report, dated 1968 and classified Confidential/No Foreign Dissem/Controlled Dissem, compiles particulars of seven sightings of unidentified flying objects observed across the Himalayan border regions of India, Nepal, Bhutan and China (Tibet) between 19 February and 25 March 1968. Each entry records the date, local time, area of observation, direction of flight, and physical particulars of the object. Reported phenomena include fast-moving objects trailing red and green light and white smoke, bright bluish objects moving silently at high speed, rocket-like objects leaving white-yellow trails at altitudes of 20,000–25,000 feet, and a blazing intermittently-flashing object over the Mukti region of NW Nepal that reportedly disintegrated, with a large metallic disc-shaped object said to have been found in a crater at Baltichaur near Pokhara. Locations named include Chang La, Fukche, Koyul, Demchok, Walungchung, Lachung, Thangu, and Thimphu. The document also references Dr. Edward Condon, head of the Air Force–sponsored civilian UFO investigation at the University of Colorado. According to the releasing agency, a more heavily redacted version of this report has previously been public on the CIA website.
Description
A 1968 CIA information report cataloging seven sightings of unidentified flying objects observed over South Ladakh, northeast Nepal, north Sikkim, and western Bhutan during the period 19 February to 25 March 1968. Released by the U.S. Department of War as part of a 2026 UAP document disclosure, this version is less redacted than one previously available on the CIA public website.
Claims
This released version is less redacted than a version previously available on CIA's public website.
85%Seven sightings of unidentified flying objects occurred over Ladakh, northeast Nepal, north Sikkim and western Bhutan between 19 February and 25 March 1968.
85%Dr. Edward Condon, former head of the National Bureau of Standards, was named director of the Air Force–sponsored civilian UFO investigation at the University of Colorado, Boulder.
85%Seven sightings of unidentified flying objects occurred over South Ladakh, northeast Nepal, north Sikkim, and western Bhutan between 19 February and 25 March 1968.
80%Sightings were accompanied by bright lights, colored (red, green, bluish) glowing objects, smoke trails, and blasting or thunder sounds.
80%A more redacted version of this report has been available on the CIA's public website.
75%Objects were observed emitting light, smoke, and thunder-like sounds, some moving from the direction of Tibet.
65%A huge metallic disc-shaped object with an eight-foot base was reportedly found in a crater at Baltichaur, five miles NE of Pokhara, with portions of a similar object found nearby.
40%A huge metallic disc-shaped object with a roughly six-foot base was found in a crater at Baltichaur, five miles northeast of Pokhara, with portions of a similar object found elsewhere.
40%
Events
Feb 18, 1968
UFO sighting over Walungchung and northeast Nepal
A fast-moving object, long and thin, glowing red and green, bright enough to cause daylight, followed by a thunder sound.
Feb 18, 1968
UFO sighting over Sikkim (Lachung, Thangu)
Object reported moving northeast to southwest, bright enough to light the entire area, followed by thunder sound.
Feb 20, 1968
UFO sighting over Thimphu, Bhutan
A bluish colored object moving at high speed without noise, bright enough to brighten the area.
Mar 3, 1968
UFO sightings over Ladakh (Chang La, Fukche, Koyul)
A white light with two blasting sounds and a reddish light followed by white smoke; a rocket-like object leaving a white-yellow trail at 20,000–25,000 feet.
Mar 24, 1968
UFO sighting and reported crash over Mukti region, NW Nepal
A blazing, intermittently flashing object accompanied by a big thunder sound disintegrated; a metallic disc-shaped object reportedly found in a crater at Baltichaur, five miles NE of Pokhara.
Feb 18, 1968
Northeast Nepal sighting
Fast-moving, long thin object, red and green, bright enough to cause daylight; thunder sound heard seconds after sighting over Walungchung and Ghurisa areas.
Feb 18, 1968
Sikkim sighting
Object seen over Lachung/Thangu area moving reportedly from northeast to southwest, bright enough to light the entire area with a thunder sound following.
Feb 20, 1968
Bhutan (Thimpu) sighting
A bluish colored object moving at high speed without noise, bright enough to brighten the area.
Mar 3, 1968
Ladakh sighting (Chang La, Fukche, Koyul)
One white light with two blasting sounds and a reddish light followed by white smoke; object following a circular path leaving a smoke trail, moving toward Demchok.
Mar 24, 1968
Kulci region sighting and disc recovery
A blazing, intermittently flashing object accompanied by a blasting/thunder sound disintegrated over the Kulci region; a metallic disc-shaped object with a six-foot base was reportedly found in a crater at Baltichaur, five miles NE of Pokhara, with fragments elsewhere.
Dates mentioned
Keywords
Entities
Organizations
Phenomena
People
Extracted text (OCR)
He will try t.o find out-Dr. Edward Condon,
former head of the National B1,1,reau of Standard-s
and recently named director of the Air Force•
sponsored civilian investigation of UFO's with
headquarters at the University of Colorado·
in Boulder.
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DATE OISTR.
COUNTRY
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DOI
Februar.r - March 1968
SUBJECT
•
~ir,htings of
c___,u~r~,1~a~e=n~t~il~i~od---,-----sFl,.,--::y=-"ing Objects in
Ladakh, Nepal, .:,ikkim and Bhutan
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SOURCE
~~~~~-~~~~~--~I sightings of unidentified flyini:; objects
in Ladakh, Nepal, Sikkim and Bhutan during the period 19 February - •
25 J.arch 1968.
Particulars of Bright Objects 3een Over South Ladakh, :iorth East Nepal,
!lorth Sikkim and Western Bhutan,
•
Date
Local
Time
Area over
which seen·
Direction
of flight
?articulars
of the Cbiect
East to
One white
li[71t and
siriul taneously
two blasting
sounds were heard.
Also, one reddish
lir,ht followed by
whi 7,.1 smoke.
Lada}:h
4 March 1968
1300 hour1:.
Chang La, Fukch<.;
and Koyul
West
5
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,Nt-0RM.ATION
REPORT
INFORMATION
REPORT
Date
:.:ca: 1'"'...r.e
Area over whi ...b
seer.
Lirtction of flight
Particulars of the
object
-=t
rtheal:it Uep&l
19 February 1968
:2 c;~.;:~een
.:·.oo :-:
Walur.gchur.g-c.::•
ar.d Ohurisa aro,
North-Eaet to Sou th
A taet-rnovl.r,g otject,
West
long ar,d thfr.t mitt'"k'
red and r i een l:rigr,
,t~.
ae br1.ght H
tc. cau~e d.&7•·
light. Thunder sound r....:rt.
after !f'!II eeconda ot i,ifhtq
of object.
kim
-···-
19 Fehru.ary l9o8
::oo:..
:us
Lachung, Lacl:t· ..
TI-.ar,gu, }h.1g-..: t:-.L i
and Chho lha.-::·...
Thii; j n!vM".&tion ill
rather ,·unful51r.g.
:.iirece~-·. W'ae reporv·
ae be!. r:g .!rOl!l Southeast to florth-wEcet ovej>
TI~.. gkarla, Lacl',ung,
L, . ·.r: i Y.uguU--.ar,g.
Over (. t.( Lhamo ar,d
:•J t
:,bject girtnc
1;,t, !ro!II tail.
It
.,.. ~ , ' tht enough to b
. (hte-h the entire &rM.
.·,1:ndflr &oUnd was heard
.~11,olnamu a.fter
Si&bt1r,g the obj~ct.
~eeie Le., the direction
wu reportedly trom
Uorth-east to SouUlwest. The latter
direction coincides
"1th the one over Nepal
and ia likely to be
more correct aince the
date and tim1111 of the
fiilbt of object also
coincide.
I
•
I•
•
'::..
'\~
~
.,
II.I
...
CD
◄
Date
Local Time
Area over -which
Direction of fiight
Particulars of the
object
seen
..:t
~
~
""
21 February 1968
21.30
~impu
II.I
...
CD
◄
East to West. However
since due east of
Thimpu there is nothing
but Indian terr"'-0ry
the direction o_ flight.
c0"1ld well be frox:.
North-east to South-west,
that is, f'ro111 the dirtction of' Tibet.
A bluish colored object
moving at high speed wit.bout any noise. It vas
bright enour-h to brighten
the area.
Ladakh
4 March 1968
]JOO
25 ¥.arch 1968
2150
Ane La area
Cbject wa~ following a
circular pa th. Left a
trail of mnoke behind
it.
Fllkche, Koyul,
Appeared from Chang La
side and waa eeen
moving towards Demochok,
i.e. from north to south.
Rocket-lil-:r- • :·.ject leaving
white-yel1
1ite.trail
about 20 y , long at a
height of 20-2SsOOO feet.
Demchok
I
I
A
I
•
i
<J
1,.
Lat,
.lr.. ovwr vh1.ch
eeen
1Jlrect1.on of night
Parti,;ulars of th,·
c.l 'e::t
•
2"15
Kulci region 1n
NW Nep&l.
Appflared to be north
to south. A blazing
ob,1eot, tlaahina
1ntenn1ttently,
•~c~nied bf b11•
' mder eoand d1a1nte'· i£ted over wlci
region. A hue• 111et.1Uc
diec-ahaped ob,1ect witb
• au-toot base and tav
ffft in height vu twnd
.."
~
:'<
;.i
,.
in a crater at Baltichau.r,
ti ve 1111lH HE ot Polchara.
Portions ot • •i•ilu
o?>ject WN found at
OkJakotandT,
!4
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ti
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n
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:..r.A MC\1.-1
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