A resurfaced air traffic control recording has renewed attention on a bizarre midair encounter in which a pilot reported a mysterious "small silver canister" hovering just feet from his aircraft over Rhode Island.
In the audio, first shared on YouTube by the VASAviation channel in October, the pilot describes seeing an object "standing still" near his wingtip while flying at about 3,500 feet. He told controllers the object appeared unattached and was hovering in midair, ruling out a drone or balloon.
After air traffic control said they were unaware of any known objects in the area and asked for more details, the pilot reiterated that the object was extremely close to the plane.
One controller responded, "Creepy," before another added, "Good luck with the aliens."
The pilot was flying a Piper Turbo Lance II, a small aircraft that can carry up to five passengers, the New York Post reported Sunday.
The incident is believed to have occurred around the same time the recording was posted Oct. 27, though exact details remain unclear.
The clip has since gone viral on social media.
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