Gazinet-Cestas Encounter
An electronics professor at Bordeaux University and three school teachers were driving near Gazinet-Cestas when they observed an elongated glowing orange object. Their car's ignition simultaneously experienced interference. One witness reported perceiving the word 'Zemu' repeated twice, either telepathically or as a vocalization.
Witnesses
Full Account
On the evening of January 22, 1961, at approximately 6:30 PM, an electronics professor at the University of Bordeaux and three school teachers were driving near the suburb of Gazinet-Cestas, southwest of Bordeaux, when they observed an elongated object glowing orange in the sky at close range.
Simultaneously with the sighting, their car’s ignition system experienced interference, a phenomenon frequently reported in close encounter cases and attributed to electromagnetic effects from the object.
During the encounter, one of the witnesses reported perceiving the word “Zemu” repeated twice. Whether this was heard as an audible vocalization or perceived telepathically is unclear from the available documentation.
The professional credentials of the witnesses — a university professor of electronics and three educators — are notable. The electromagnetic effect on the vehicle’s ignition system is consistent with a recognized pattern in close encounter reports. The case was cataloged by Jacques Vallee as Case 515 in his landmark 1969 work, and later compiled by Peter Rogerson in the INTCAT catalog of 1961 entity encounter reports.
Reported Effects
Sources
Investigation Notes
Cataloged by Jacques Vallee as Case 515 in Passport to Magonia. The professional standing of the witnesses — a university professor and three teachers — adds credibility. The electromagnetic interference with the car ignition is a commonly reported physical effect in close encounter cases. The perceived word 'Zemu' is an unusual detail. No formal investigation is known to have been conducted.