Nick Pope, Britain’s leading UFO authority, has passed away at the age of 60 following a diagnosis of Stage 4 esophageal cancer, his wife has confirmed. She said he was conducting interviews until his final days. Pope’s work saw him lead investigations into X Files-like cases and he was a regular on the TV series Ancient Aliens on the History Channel.
The former Ministry of Defence specialist headed up the Government’s UFO Project - dubbed Britain’s "UFO Desk" - for three years during the 1990s, examining some of the nation’s most prominent sightings and cases. Among them was the legendary Rendlesham UFO incident from 1980, often dubbed Britain’s Roswell.
His wife, Elizabeth Weiss, shared news of his death on Monday (April 6), saying: "My heart is breaking. Nick passed away this afternoon at our home," she revealed in a statement. "The last few weeks of his life, even as he suffered, he managed to do a few interviews from home. I was so lucky to have met and to have married Nick. He was a wonderful husband. I loved him dearly."
The Ministry of Defence’s UFO Project, also referred to as the "X-Files Desk", operated for more than 60 years before its closure in 2009. Throughout its existence, it catalogued thousands of reported sightings, with approximately 95% attributed to conventional explanations and 2-3% still defying explanation. Thousands of these records are now accessible to the public at the National Archives.
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Following each report, Mr. Pope and his colleagues would evaluate any potential threats to national security and aviation safety. He noted that UFO sightings were far more common than many people imagine, with the team handling an average of up to 300 reports annually.
While bound by the Official Secrets Act, he occasionally offered a rare insight into a realm of top-secret documents and mysterious technology. When pressed about which investigation haunted him most, he admitted: "The file on the Rendlesham Forest incident still keeps me up at night".
In December 1980, United States Air Force personnel spotted unusual lights and a metallic object in woodland near RAF Woodbridge and RAF Bentwaters in Suffolk at approximately 3am.
Those present, including Sgt. Jim Penniston and John Burroughs, discovered indentations in the ground and damaged tree branches. Col. Halt documented heightened radiation readings on the second evening. Sgt. Penniston maintained he had approached and physically contacted a craft, describing it as warm with hieroglyphic-style symbols. Sceptics have attributed the events to a meteor shower or military hoax, reports the Express.
Mr. Pope shared his devastating diagnosis through an emotional social media message in February. He stated: "A while ago, following some digestive issues, I was diagnosed with esophageal cancer.
"Unfortunately, it’s Stage 4 and has metastasized to my liver. While I know that it’s kindness and hope that leads people to suggest healers and supposed miracle cures, and to say things like "fight it", and "you can beat it"...
"...I’m afraid my diagnosis and my situation leaves no doubt whatsoever: I can’t beat it. What an amazing adventure I’ve had. A 21-year career at the UK Ministry of Defence, where I got involved in subjects ranging from financial policy to counter-terrorism; from military policing to UAP.
"The things I’ve done; the places I’ve been; the people I’ve met; and the secrets I’ve been privy to. I wouldn’t have swapped it for the world."
Crime & Courts Correspondent
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