The Belgian wave or the Belgian UFO Wave is one of the most questionable events that has captivated people over the years and made them question not only the existence of life on other planets but also the scope and depth of their technological advances.
When we talk about space, the universe, and its diversity, one of the most commonly raised questions is about the existence of life other than Earth itself.
The Belgian wave issue brings these existential questions right to the forefront. This article will take you through the events that took place in Belgium from 1989 to 1990, collectively called the Belgian Wave, which appeared to be unusual and was considered to be an alien invasion.
1. The Beginning of the Belgian Wave
The very beginning of the Belgian wave was actually in November 1989. But the Belgian wave peaked its hype with various events that took place in late March 1990. Several reports were filed, and they mainly related to a large object flying at a low altitude in the sky. Reports also claimed that there were alien crafts that were triangular, flat, and had lights underneath them.
On the night of 30-31 march, 1990, two Belgian Air Force F-16s were sent out to investigate, as an unknown object was tracked on the official radar but both of the pilots came with negative reports of nothing being found over the skies. There rose a question of what had actually happened and there was a dearth of any clarity.
The matter remained quiet for the next two weeks but after that several reports from numerous people were received who claimed to have witnessed an unknown object and all of them testified to the odd objects. Many other people also came forward and claimed the same. The tale of seeing an unknown object gained traction. After this event, The Belgian Air Force decided to release UFO (Unidentified Flying Object) reports that gave the details about the events of that night.
2. The Beliefs Regarding the Belgian Wave
The question that soon became popular among people was whether aliens really appeared in Belgium. The Chief of Operations of the Air Staff, General Wilfried De Brouwer believed that it was certainly the American military who were testing out some aircraft over the country that might have unusual characteristics and just appeared to be extra-terrestrial. He held that the aircraft was certainly of triangular shape that appeared to be like an unknown triangular object. And they were mostly man-made objects rather than some UFO wave.
In another alleged UFO sighting, several policemen as well as two military radar stations witnessed some unusual UFO-like objects, even though the pilots could never make it to catch the unknown object they were pursuing. The Air Force was never able to specify what happened, they chose to remain silent about the sighting, the lights that appeared, and all the rumors regarding the Belgian wave.
Decades later, they still lack answers regarding the Belgian wave and all the information about the Belgian wave that should have been a clear report by the time and year we are living in now. However, some space scientists and other knowledgeable people in the field, now call it an example of mass excitement or hysteria.
It is believed by them that people confuse numerous natural and artificially crafted objects as something unusual, especially at the night, this commonly happens with hopeful viewers and they misinterpret these things with mysterious circumstances.
Science fiction nerds, conspiracy theorists, and space enthusiasts sometimes tend to turn wishful thinking into a creative interpretation of reality and end up spinning a yarn about alien invasions, UFOs, and other strange occurrences that canโt be attributed to rational and verifiable facts.
3. The Eyewitnessed Sightings
It was the night of 30 March 1990 that certain reports were received by the Control Reporting Center (CRC), Belgium, that there were three unusual lightings of sorts that were captured. These were said to be moving towards Thorembais -Gembloux, the southeast part of Brussels. It was requested by the CRC team to the Wavre gendarmerie to send a patrolling team to confirm the UFO sightings.
Soon some other reports came in that confirmed another set of lighting-like occurrences that became visible. The Traffic Center Control of Semmerzake could track only a single object on its radar and decided to launch two F-16 fighter planes from the Belgian military to confirm the UFO sightings. Through the news coverage of all of this, a few people claimed that they were able to watch this very unusual happening from the ground itself.
However, the F-16 didnโt find anything for the next hour in the sky. Next, there was some sort of radar contact which became more accurate to capture after some time but to no avail, since it was found to be a false alarm. With no choice but to return the helicopter to the base, the F-16 came back an hour or so after midnight.
4. The Belgian Wave: Film Adaptation
Jรฉrรดme Vandewattyne, a well-known and named director working in commercials, plays, web series, and many other TV programs, hit the nail on the head with the beginning of production of his new feature film The Belgian Wave. This film worked on the period of the Belgian past associated with the Belgian wave. It was no doubt mocked, but at the same time, it was also able to create a following of sorts in niche circles.
The story is set in the early 90s when a journalist named Marc Varenberg and his cameraman disappeared under some mysterious circumstances as they were investigating the Belgian UFO wave. The film also experiences a time leap of almost thirty years later, ย when two web reporters are determined to reopen the Belgian investigation. These online reporters reopen the case to uncover the mystery of what actually happened.
There are elements in the movie that drag you in and keep you hooked even if you are skeptical in the beginning. It keeps the viewers bonded to the film. This is evident from the fact that you start getting invested in the disappearance of these journalists. The setting is plausible and it has enough fodder that allows you as a viewer to relate and identify with the characters.
The movie has a high level of Belgium-ness infused with it, and its cast with such diverse actors as Dominique Rongvaux, and the Belgian actress Karen De Paduwa with the actor and director Karim Barras. The film is also entangled with great Belgium music culture, and with good cause.ย
All in all, the movie delves into UFO myths while at the same time ensuring that the myths are drawn from enough elements of real lived experience that it turns into a mysterious and thrilling episode of human engagement with the meaning of our own existence and the existence of everything beyond us.
5. The Non-clarity of the Event
It has been reportedly estimated that over ten thousand people came forward as witnesses of the Belgian wave and the related events. Yet, the air force of Belgium remains unclear with the very justification of the activity that took place even after several years have passed after the event. Since the incident was considered non-aggressive or hostile, further investigation regarding the unknown object in the sky of Belgium was abandoned.
Even though the whole incident had a feature film itself with the main character of journalist Marc Vandenberg, there was nothing that made out an impact to restart the investigation. So, while the events of the Belgian wave are alive and well with respect to the public imagination and in corner of science geeks and nerds, we find that official, governmental, and organizational interest and push to investigate has been largely dampened with time.
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Read more about extra-terrestrial encounters at The Roswell Incident: 9 Fascinating Things to Know.
Last Updated on by Ritiksha Sharma
