July 7, 2010 / T210
Hangzhou airport interruption and misleading UFO photographs
Hangzhou Xiaoshan International Airport, Zhejiang
Witness account
An unidentified aerial observation near Hangzhou Xiaoshan airport prompted a temporary interruption of flights on July 7. Contemporary reporting described delayed or diverted aircraft while the object was investigated. Dramatic photographs spread internationally alongside the story, often making the event appear more visually documented than it was. Several circulating images were not securely connected with what airport personnel had reported.
Public record
The flight disruption and contemporary statements were reported through Chinese news agencies and international outlets. The available public evidence did not include a single authenticated, timed image-and-track package linking the striking internet photographs to the airport's operational decision. Explanations involving aircraft appeared in follow-up coverage.