In August 1990, two hikers claimed to have witnessed a mysterious diamond-shaped aircraft hovering over the moors near Calvine, a picturesque hamlet in Perth and Kinross. They captured this unusual sighting in six photographs and sent them to the Daily Record newspaper, sparking intrigue and speculation. The photos, however, never made it to the public eye as they were acquired by the Ministry of Defence (MoD) and subsequently vanished from public view. Over the years, this incident has remained shrouded in mystery, with various theories emerging about the true nature of the object.
Prof David Clarke, a lecturer at Sheffield Hallam University and former reporter, first learned about the Calvine UFO incident in 1996. Around the same time, Nick Pope, a former MoD civil servant, published a book on ufology that included details of this enigmatic event. The MoD's analysis concluded that the photos were not fakes, yet they labeled the object as "unexplained" and closed the case without further action. This decision fueled speculations among ufologists, with some suggesting that the diamond-shaped craft might be an alien spaceship or an Earth-recreated version of a downed extraterrestrial vessel.
The MoD instructed Prof Clarke to contact the hikers for more information, but they remained reticent. Consequently, the MoD advised him to leave the case with them. In 2018, Clarke discovered that the MoD had inadvertently failed to redact the name of a former Defence Intelligence official from their records. Despite this lead, Clarke's efforts to trace the photograph's origins hit a dead end.
The authenticity of the image was later confirmed by Andrew Robinson, Clarke's colleague and a senior lecturer in photography at Sheffield Hallam University. The photo eventually surfaced in 2022, capturing global attention and reigniting discussions about its authenticity and implications.
Nick Pope expressed his reluctance to comment on various names associated with the incident:
“With apologies, I’m not going to comment on the various names I’ve seen.” – Nick Pope
He acknowledged awareness of one name linked to the case:
“I’m aware that the name Kevin Russell has been given.” – Nick Pope
Pope speculated about initial conversations held regarding the incident:
“I suspect that, at the very least, right at the outset, a fairly robust conversation was held.” – Nick Pope
He also dismissed far-fetched theories about the hikers' fate:
“I’m not going to comment on that. I don’t want my non-comment to be misinterpreted. The idea that these people were assassinated by the deep state – that’s just nonsense.” – Nick Pope
Pope highlighted the anonymity many choose when discussing UFOs with authorities:
“Many people talked to the MoD about UFOs on condition of anonymity. Many times, people who see UFOs don’t want to go public. Sometimes, they don’t even tell their family, their friends, their immediate colleagues. I want to be respectful of that.” – Nick Pope
A note from the MoD indicated their inconclusive findings regarding the sighting:
“Have looked at the photographs, no definite conclusions reached regarding large diamond-shaped object. Confident that jet aircraft is a Harrier. Have no record of Harriers operating in location at stated date/time. No other reports received by MoD of unusual air activity or sightings at location/date/time.” – MoD note
Pope called for those involved to come forward with more information:
“It is the 35th anniversary of what has been described as the best UFO photo ever taken. Now is the time to come forward and tell us what really happened.” – Nick Pope
The MoD's stance on commenting about UFOs/UAPs has remained unchanged:
“I am afraid we no longer offer comment on UFOs/UAPs [unidentified aerial phenomena] etc.” – MoD spokesperson
Prof David Clarke criticized the MoD's silence for fueling conspiracy theories:
“The MoD could easily clear up this mystery by releasing the conclusions of the analysis they carried out on the images in 1990 and 1992. If this concluded the photos were faked, it can be released without having to release personal information about the photographer. By refusing to comment, they are simply feeding the conspiracy theories and the idea that they are hiding something.” – Prof David Clarke
Craig Lindsay recounted seeing one of these captivating photographs displayed prominently:
“There, on the wall in front of me, was a great big poster-size print of the best of them [the photographs]. So, I spoke to the guys that were there and I asked them what their other photographs were like.” – Craig Lindsay