Dept. of Defense: Strange object seen off Florida coast was jet contrail

Some locals along the Treasure Coast woke up New Year's Day to the strange sight of an object in the sky with what appeared to be a fiery trail behind it. Julia Buckley told WPBF she saw the object lift off just before 7 a.m. off the coast of Vero Beach. John Simard says he was near the Fort Pierce Inlet when he saw it. According to the Kennedy Space Center, there were no scheduled rocket launches for Jan. 1.Officials with the Department of Defense told WESH 2 News the object was a jet contrail which was illuminated by the sunrise.

Some locals along the Treasure Coast woke up New Year's Day to the strange sight of an object in the sky with what appeared to be a fiery trail behind it.

Julia Buckley told WPBF she saw the object lift off just before 7 a.m. off the coast of Vero Beach. John Simard says he was near the Fort Pierce Inlet when he saw it.


According to the Kennedy Space Center, there were no scheduled rocket launches for Jan. 1.

Officials with the Department of Defense told WESH 2 News the object was a jet contrail which was illuminated by the sunrise.