47 UFO sightings reported in SC so far this year? Here’s where they’ve been seen the most

Patrick McCreless
US DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE

South Carolina residents have reported 47 sightings of unidentified flying objects across the state this year, according to the National UFO Reporting Center.

While many people associate UFOs with alien visitors from other planets, the term refers to any aerial phenomenon that cannot be explained. Scientists and skeptic organizations routinely do eventually identify many reported UFOs as being more mundane in nature, such as atmospheric phenomena or man-made objects.

Still, UFO reports persist.

So far this year, Irmo, Myrtle Beach and the Cross community are tied for most UFO sightings in the state so far this year. Each has three separately reported UFO encounters, according to the National UFO Reporting Center.

South Carolina isn’t the greatest hotbed for UFO reports in the U.S, but it is no slouch either, a recent study shows.

The study by myvision.org — a site that provides evidence-based information on eye health — analyzed the last five years-worth of reports from the National UFO Reporting Center. The study then ranked the states by most UFOs reported since 1974.

According to the study, South Carolina ranks 22nd among the states with 2,134 UFO reports.

The latest UFO was reported on Oct. 6 in Sumter. The report states that the witness was driving to meet friends around 10 p.m. and was on a straight road when he noticed two orange lights over a forest. The display lasted fur about 20 seconds.

“You tell me what I saw cause it was drifting in the sky and not like anything I’ve seen before,” the witness’ statement reads.

Another report made on Sept. 15 on Kiawah Island states that a woman and her husband were walking along the beach when they saw a reddish orange sphere in the sky that seemed to be moving, but then started hovering in place.

“It seemed the object we saw vaguely changed colors (red to orange to yellow to white), the object seemed to change shapes from three small close connected spheres to one large sphere,” the report reads.

The National UFO Reporting Center was founded in 1974 by noted UFO investigator, Robert J. Gribble, the organization’s website states. The center has processed more than 150,000 reports.

The center’s main function has been “to receive, record and to the greatest degree possible, corroborate and document reports from individuals who have been witness to unusual, possibly UFO-related events.”

Here is where all 47 UFO reports have been made in South Carolina so far this year, according to the reporting center.

  • Irmo: 3 reports

  • Bluffton

  • Socastee

  • Conway: 2 reports

  • Latta

  • Gaston: 2 reports

  • Pawleys Island: 2 reports

  • Charleston

  • West Columbia

  • Myrtle Beach: 3 reports

  • Georgetown: 2 reports

  • Summerville: 2 reports

  • SeaBrook Island

  • Bishopville

  • Orangeburg

  • Beaufort

  • Westminster

  • Loris

  • Spartanburg: 2 reports

  • Union

  • Goose Creek

  • Cross: 3 reports

  • Inman

  • Buffalo

  • Fripp Island

  • Barnwell

  • Garden City

  • Beech Island

  • Eastover

  • Cassatt

  • Monks Corner

  • Aiken

  • Kiawah Island

  • McCormick

  • Sumter

Advertisement