Light over Miami Beach, FL

The report, as filed

At around 11pm I was sitting in my living room. I live in a high-rise in Miami Beach and I have a city view. I was looking through the open sliding glass door, (I was sitting in front of), at the time, when suddenly a bright light appeared from behind a building. At first, I thought it was fireworks, but I quickly realized that this was not the case. It was seemingly in close proximity and flying at about the same height as my apartment. I am on the 5th floor and these things were in my line of view, looking due west, and were visible for a few seconds. The only way I can describe them is that it looked like flying fire. They were 5 or 6 feet across, in my estimation, maybe larger. They appeared solid, not translucent. What I could see was a flat surface which didn't look to have much if any depth. They came from behind buildings that lay in my line of vision and then disappeared from sight the same way, going behind another adjacent building to the north. If I had to guess, I would say that it was about a block or so away! First there was one, then a second appeared, which seemed to split off the other. They moved in a way that could not have been fireworks, swirling around themselves, or interacting for a moment and then speeding off to the north. As these fiery things moved through the air, the tail of the flames undulated in such a way as resembling a flag in the wind. As it did so, small flames were left behind like a trail, but immediately dissipated. Gravity and the laws of physics had no effect. There was an absence of smoke and sound, so I rule out fireworks. There was nothing to indicate to me that there was any human involvement and it was unlike anything I've ever imagined. I was quite shaken after seeing that, somewhat frightened. I don’t know if I can correctly recall the color, but it was bright and looked like fire. I believe it was orange and red but there could have been other colors. I was so astonished and it all happened so quickly, but I got a very good look at them. They, whatever they were, had no apparent shape, other than the appearance of fire. It could not have been a projection. The was nothing in the air space where they appeared for them to be projected on to, and they were above the lower 2 and 3 story buildings in the space where I could clearly see them. I ran out to the balcony, but by then there was no sign of them. I occurred to me that someone else must have seen it. I have lived in this apartment for 5 years and I have gazed in this direction countless times. I have tried to figure out what happened that night, lost sleep over it and have come to the conclusion that either I had a hallucination, or I witnessed something unknown, not to mention extremely bizarre by any standard. Since I am not prone to “seeing things” then I tend to believe the later. It’s very strange circumstances, because the objects, if I can call them that, appeared in a densely populated area with many tourists and people walking around. South Beach is very active at least until 2AM. Before midnight there are scores of people and heavy traffic in my neighborhood. How could I have been the only one to have witnessed it? I was out on my balcony immediately when I saw them, but like I said, they had disappeared by then. I am less than a block from where it seemed to have occurred. I heard no exclamations or commotion. I also did not see any smoke or hear any explosions such as fire works-I definitely would have heard that. This is such an unbelievable occurrence that I have trouble believing it myself. Nevertheless, I saw a pair of self-illuminating fire like objects flying through the air with what seemed to be some form of intelligence. I have no idea what it was, but it was unlike anything in from my imagination. It was but for a few seconds, but I will remember it forever. ((ADDENDUM FROM WITNESS)) Yes, Peter. After review it was Tuesday, the 25th, not Monday the 24th. My wife and I had gone out to dinner that night and I am certain the sighting occurred after that. It was definitely Tuesday night the 25 and not Monday the 24th. Thanks, ((name deleted)) ((END ADDENDUM)) We have amended the date above, in order to reflect a sighting at 23:00 hrs. on Tuesday, April 25, 2017. Please see other reports from Florida for the same time and date. PD

Held as-reported from National UFO Reporting Center (record NUFORC #133858). Witness text is preserved verbatim, including its spelling; nothing is edited beyond formatting.