By DayakDaily Team
KUCHING, July 15: Members of the public have been urged not to speculate or jump to conclusions over a recent viral image that allegedly showed a Northrop B-2 Spirit stealth bomber flying over Saratok.
In a statement issued by the Ministry of Transport Sarawak (MOTS), its minister, Dato Sri Lee Kim Shin, said that while such sightings often arouse public curiosity, it is critical to respond with rationality rather than panic or baseless assumptions.
He emphasised that any sighting of unidentified flying objects (UFOs) should be immediately reported to the relevant authorities, especially the Civil Aviation Authority of Malaysia (CAAM), and, if necessary, to the police.
“This includes visual documentation such as photos or videos, as well as details about the object’s appearance, such as its shape, size, and colour, along with any notable sounds, behaviours, the time of day, and weather conditions at the time of the sighting.”
According to the minister, information like this is critical in helping authorities or researchers analyse and verify aerial phenomena. He also advised individuals who witness such events to maintain a safe distance from the object, especially if it is behaving erratically or unpredictably, adding that public safety should always be the top priority.
Lee further commented on claims that the object might be a B-2 bomber, explaining that such aircraft, which are powered by four General Electric jet engines each producing over 17,000 pounds of thrust, would have generated a deafening noise if flying at the altitude shown in the photograph. The absence of such sound in this case strongly suggests that the object was not a B-2.
Based on information received from aviation authorities, he said the object was likely a remote-controlled aircraft or an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), which are increasingly common in recreational and commercial use.
He also encouraged the public to learn more about common aerial phenomena, including drones, weather balloons, and remote-controlled planes, so that unusual sightings can be better understood and responsibly reported.
On July 12, a Reddit user with the username ‘Anubiroz’ posted on the r/Sarawak thread an image allegedly taken by a friend near a longhouse in Saratok. — DayakDaily
