By Tim Binnall
The claim that a legendary Canadian UFO case was actually an inadvertent hoax has been called into question by a witness to the odd sighting. Known as the 'Duncan Incident,' the intriguing event unfolded at the Cowichan District Hospital on New Year's Day 1970 when a nurse observed a glowing disc hovering outside a patient's window. The case received renewed interest earlier this month when the Royal Canadian Mint announced its inclusion in their 'Unexplained Phenomena' series of coins and, in turn, a local man named Dan Hughes came forward with the claim that the 'UFO' was just a contraption created by his friends.
The proverbial whistleblower asserted that the 'craft' was merely a dry cleaning bag draped over a wooden cross with candles providing the hot air to make it sail through the sky. According to Hughes, his friends happened to live next to the hospital and lofted the 'UFO' at a New Year's Eve party on the night of the legendary sighting. Insisting that the case of mistaken alien identity was not malicious in nature, he indicated that he was compelled to reveal what he claims to be the true story behind the incident after hearing news of the coin being issued. With his friends and the nurse having all passed away, Hughes posited that he had something of a duty to set the record straight.
While his account seemingly provides a simple explanation for the fantastic event that occurred that night back in 1970, in a remarkable twist to the story, the patient who was in the hospital room that evening has reportedly come forward to cast doubt on Hughes' assertion. Witness Joan Hieta recalls being in bed when she suddenly heard the nurse "hollering out" to her co-workers to come and see something outside the hospital. Curious as to what was causing the commotion, she joined the group in watching an apparent craft "slowly coming towards the window until it was just a few feet away." Looking back on the experience, Hieta noted that she observed "panels with instruments and lights on them and two black figures as well, although they were not as clear."
Having such an incredibly close view of the object, she expressed skepticism over Hughes' claim that the UFO was a contraption built by his friends. "Maybe it was a prank, but I think it would have taken quite a feat to make it," Hieta mused, "I can't see how anyone could create something that could look that real." She also noted that everyone in the room at the time believed that the UFO was truly otherworldly and "it shook us all up." With her version of events starkly contrasting what Hughes has put forward as an explanation, it would appear that the case of the 'Duncan Incident' remains a mystery of Canadian UFO lore.