Huge blank white airship sparks alarm over remote California town
Residents in California’s Central Valley were startled this week when a large airship was seen drifting through the sky, its low humming noise drawing attention from people on the ground who were not expecting to see such an aircraft.
Jessica Dyson, a resident of Merced, said she first noticed the unusual sound Wednesday and then looked up to see the blimp-shaped craft flying over her home, according to FOX26.
The appearance of the white airship — which carried no advertising banners or markings — raised concern among some locals. With news reports recently focusing on possible drone threats, seeing an unfamiliar aircraft hovering overhead caused anxiety in an area where sightings like this are uncommon.
A similar moment of concern occurred along California’s Central Coast last month. Residents there reported seeing a military aircraft known as the “Doomsday plane” flying unusually low. The plane is designed to function as an airborne command center during national emergencies. Officials later explained that the flight was part of routine military training exercises.
Airships have drawn attention in other parts of California in recent years as well. In the San Francisco Bay Area, the company LTA Research has been conducting test flights of its massive Pathfinder 1 airship over the bay and near the Golden Gate Bridge. The company, founded by aviation engineer Alan Weston and backed by Google co-founder Sergey Brin, is developing a new generation of airships intended for cargo transport and humanitarian missions, according to The San Francisco Standard.
The airship seen over Merced was later identified as an A-60 model used for pilot training. According to FOX26, it had departed from Castle Airport and was traveling to Moffett Federal Airfield, flying across the Central Valley on Tuesday and Wednesday.
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