The Falcon Lake Incident is one of Canada’s most famous and well-documented UFO cases. It occurred on May 20, 1967, near Falcon Lake, Manitoba, involving Stefan Michalak, an amateur prospector and former military policeman. While exploring the Whiteshell Provincial Park for quartz veins, Michalak noticed two flying saucer-shaped objects. One landed approximately 45 meters from him, while the other flew away.
Michalak approached the landed craft, which emitted heat and a sulfuric smell. He reportedly saw a grid-like exhaust vent before the craft suddenly took off, releasing a burst of hot air that set his shirt on fire and caused a grid-patterned burn on his chest. Following the incident, he suffered from severe burns, nausea, headaches, and other symptoms consistent with radiation exposure.
The event prompted investigations by multiple organizations, including the RCMP, the Royal Canadian Air Force, and the U.S. Air Force. Soil and rock samples from the site were found to be highly radioactive, and Michalak’s story remained consistent under scrutiny. In 1968, investigators discovered a piece of radioactive metal embedded in a rock at the location, further corroborating the unusual nature of the incident. Despite extensive investigation, no definitive explanation has ever been provided.
Michalak’s story gained significant media attention and has been commemorated in Canadian culture, including a special glow-in-the-dark coin released by the Royal Canadian Mint in 2018. The site remains a point of interest for UFO enthusiasts, who continue to gather annually to discuss this enigmatic case
Arthur Bray fonds - “My Encounter with the UFO by Stephan Michalak". Archives of the University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON
"UFOs at LAC: The Falcon Lake Incident - Part 1". Discover Library and Archives Canada, podcast audio, November 14, 2018. https://www.bac-lac.gc.ca/eng/discover/unusual/ufo/Pages/falcon-lake-incident-part1.aspx . Accessed 25 November 2024.
"UFOs at LAC: The Falcon Lake Incident - Part 2". Discover Library and Archives Canada, podcast audio, November 28, 2018. https://www.bac-lac.gc.ca/eng/discover/unusual/ufo/Pages/falcon-lake-incident-part2.aspx . Accessed 25 November 2024.