SS Kila Light Shaft Sighting
The SS Kila Light Shaft Sighting occurred on April 4, 1901, when Captain Hosan of the steamship Kila observed revolving shafts of light appear on the ocean surface in the Persian Gulf, rotating at an estimated 60 miles per hour before gradually fading over approximately 15 minutes. The case is the final encounter in the Persian Gulf USO Flap (1879–1901) and is one of the only historical Maritime Light Wheel cases in which rotational velocity was explicitly estimated by the witness.
| Date | 1901-04-04 |
|---|
Incident Description
Captain Hosan's account:
"Vast shafts of light suddenly appeared. Shaft followed shaft upon the surface of the sea, but it was only a faint light, and in about 15 minutes died out, having appeared suddenly and having died out gradually. These shafts revolved at a velocity of about 60 mph."
Key characteristics:
- Initial appearance: Sudden, without observed buildup
- Fading: Gradual over approximately 15 minutes
- Rotational velocity: Approximately 60 mph
- Pattern: Multiple successive shafts on the surface
Significance
The explicit velocity estimate of 60 mph is the most precise speed data in any Maritime Light Wheel account. It distinguishes the Kila encounter from bioluminescent pressure wave explanations, under which rotational speed would depend on acoustic wave propagation in calm water — a mechanism that would be expected to produce much slower and less regular motion than 60 mph rotational sweeping. The pattern of sudden appearance and gradual fading (rather than appearing and disappearing at the same rate) may suggest a power-down sequence rather than a natural dissipation pattern.