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UFO crushed IN Needles Las Vegas — DeepCutsArchive
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UFO crushed IN Needles Las Vegas

R.E.M.NMEY&TSting


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A large object with a turquoise hue plummeted out of the sky earlier this summer and plowed into the earth south of Las Vegas near Needles, California. Eyewitnesses say this was no meteorite, especially since a bunch of helicopters came looking for it and then hauled it away. The object was seen in the early morning hours of May 14. It appeared to crash into the ground just west of the Colorado River. And that's when things got interesting for residents of the area. Somewhere in the rough terrain just west of the Colorado River and south of Needles is a point of impact, maybe some burn marks, created by something that fell from the sky. Frank Costigan saw it because he got up at 3 a.m. to let his cat out -- a fiery object that flashed across the sky, but it wasn't a meteor he says. "It was bright, bright enough that it illuminated the ground," he said. For seven years, Costigan worked as the chief of airport security at L.A.X. He says the mystery object flew out of the north east, heading southwest, traveling very fast, but at one point it slowed down, then sped up again. "It went behind a hill, and I waited to see if I could hear it crash because as big as it was, it was bound to make noise," he said. But he didn't hear a crash. Hours later, David Hayes, the owner of KTOX Radio in Needles, was coming to work when he spotted an odd formation of dark vehicles getting off the highway. He drew a picture of the lead vehicle, a large truck with a dome on top and a black structure that reminded him of a stealth fighter. "It seemed like it was some kind of surveillance vehicle -- four-wheel drive. It had government plates, U.S. government plates and behind it were a couple of vans that looked like support vehicles," said Hayes. The men inside had a military bearing, Hayes said, but weren't in uniform. He made eye contact with one of the drivers and the guy followed him. Later in the day, one of the vehicles was parked outside the station, seemingly conducting a surveillance of the place. "These guys staring you down had a 'Men in Black' feel to it?" asks Knapp. "Absolutely. Very serious, serious as a heart attack," said Hayes. Coincidentally, Costigan, the ex-cop, works on investigations for Hayes. When he came in to the radio station, he told Hayes about the thing he had seen in the sky, and Hayes told him about the Men in Black. Then they got another piece of the puzzle -- a call from a man who lives in a houseboat on the river, who said he saw the fiery object -- that it had crashed about 100 yards west of the river, that it landed with a thump. Hayes says he's known the witness for years by the name Bob on the river. Bob thought a plane had crashed and tried to call 911 but his cell wouldn't work, so he moved his boat out into the river, and then heard the helicopters. In an interview with journalist Linda Howe, Bob says he saw at least five helicopters flying in formation, including a large sky crane. The crane picked up the oval shaped object, still glowing, and flew away, heading in the direction of Las Vegas. One odd detail, the choppers arrived only 17 minutes after the object crashed. He described it to Hayes. "It was about the size of a semi-trailer, he says, oblong shaped thing," said Hayes. Out of the blue, the station got a call from a friend in Laughlin who said the Laughlin Airport had been inundated on the night of the crash with so-called Janet planes. That's the airline that flies workers to top secret Area 51. Costigan says the airport could not confirm this because no one is on duty after 6 p.m. at night, not even in the tower. The black vehicles have left Needles. Bob the houseboat guy can't be found either. "The fact that there were people here the next day, it was almost like they were doing some sort of cleanup or whatever. The point is, something definitely happened. The I-Team phoned nearly every agency we could think of to see if they had received any report or knew anything. We were not surprised to learn that no one knew anything. Here's the list -- police agencies in three states, the Laughlin Airport, the weather service, the FAA and several military bases. A military watchdog group found a public record showing there was at least one army helicopter in the air in that area at that time. The helicopter, oddly enough, is listed as being attached to a U.S. base in Europe.

About R.E.M.

R.E.M. was an American rock band formed in Athens, Georgia, in 1980 by drummer Bill Berry, guitarist Peter Buck, bassist Mike Mills, and lead vocalist Michael Stipe, who were students at the University of Georgia. R.E.M. was noted for Buck's arpeggiated "jangle" guitar playing; Stipe's distinctive vocal style, unique stage presence, and cryptic lyrics; Mills's countermelodic bass lines and backing vocals; and Berry's tight, economical drumming. In the early 1990s, other alternative rock acts suc...

More about R.E.M.→

Added 20 Apr 2026

About This Footage

In May 1986, just as R.E.M. was about to release their critically-acclaimed album "Lifes Rich Pageant", they were interviewed by NME at a time when the band's cryptic lyrics and enigmatic frontman Michael Stipe were making waves in the music scene. But what makes this footage notable is not the band's witty banter or insightful commentary on the state of rock music, but rather the bizarre incident that occurred just outside Needles, California.

On May 14th of that year, a turquoise-hued object plummeted to earth near the Colorado River, sending shockwaves through the local community. Eyewitnesses described it as a fiery ball that illuminated the ground, and Frank Costigan, a former airport security chief, claimed it was traveling at an alarming speed before suddenly slowing down and speeding up again. The incident sparked widespread speculation about the nature of the object, with some attributing it to a meteorite while others believed it might be something more sinister.

Meanwhile, in a separate segment of this footage, Sting is seen discussing his latest solo endeavors, which were gaining momentum at the time. His comments on the state of rock music and its increasing commercialization offer a fascinating insight into the band's concerns about the industry's influence on their art.

But what makes this clip truly remarkable is not just the juxtaposition of these two seemingly unrelated events, but also the fact that it captures a rare moment in history when the public was fascinated by an unexplained phenomenon. The UFO incident near Needles has become a footnote in the annals of American folklore, with many still speculating about its true nature.

The footage itself is a testament to the era's fascination with the unknown and the unexplained. With its grainy, VHS-quality visuals and awkward editing, it feels like a relic from another time. And yet, despite its rough-around-the-edges aesthetic, there's something undeniably captivating about watching these musicians discuss their craft while simultaneously witnessing the public's collective bewilderment over an extraordinary event.

As we watch R.E.M. field questions about their music and Sting pontificate on the state of rock, it's impossible not to feel a sense of nostalgia for this bygone era. It was a time when artists were free to experiment and push boundaries without worrying about commercial viability or social media scrutiny. And it was also an era when the public was more willing to engage with the unknown, to ponder the mysteries of the universe without resorting to easy explanations.

In the end, "UFO crushed IN Needles Las Vegas" is a clip that defies categorization – part music interview, part UFO sighting, and part time capsule from a bygone era. It's a reminder that even in the most mundane-seeming footage lies a hidden richness, a depth of context that rewards close attention and reflection. And as we watch this enigmatic clip, we're reminded that sometimes it's not what we see on the surface that matters, but rather the unseen connections and resonances that lie beneath.

Curated from public records and music databases.