Nick Pope, a former Ministry of Defence official who ran the Government’s UFO Project for three years in the 1990s, has died aged 60
13:54, 07 Apr 2026Updated 13:54, 07 Apr 2026
Nick Pope ran the Government’s ‘UFO Desk'(Image: Getty Images for A+E Networks)
The UK’s leading UFO expert Nick Pope has passed away aged 60 following a diagnosis of Stage 4 oesophageal cancer, his devastated wife has revealed. The former Ministry of Defence official oversaw the Government’s UFO Project – known as Britain’s “UFO Desk” – for three years during the 1990s, handling some of the most prominent sightings and cases.
This included examining the case file of the Rendlesham UFO incident, dubbed Britain’s Roswell, which took place in 1980. His wife, Elizabeth Weiss, confirmed his tragic death on Monday (April 6). “My heart is breaking. Nick passed away this afternoon at our home,” she said in a statement.
“The last few weeks of his life, even as he suffered, he managed to do a few interviews from home. I was so lucky to have met and to have married Nick. He was a wonderful husband. I loved him dearly.”
The Brit ran the Government’s ‘UFO Desk’ for three years.(Image: Getty)
The UK Government’s UFO Project, overseen by the MoD, also referred to as the “X-Files Desk”, operated for more than 60 years before shutting down in 2009. It recorded thousands of sightings, with approximately 95% considered conventional misidentifications and 2-3% remaining unexplained.
Thousands of files are now accessible at the National Archives. Following a report, Mr Pope’s team would commence evaluating the potential threat to national security and aviation safety.
He noted the volume of sightings far exceeds most people’s expectations, calculating they handled up to 300 annually on average. While he was restricted by the Official Secrets Act, he occasionally offered a rare insight into a world of confidential documents and unknown technology.
When asked which case was most memorable, he admitted: “The file on the Rendlesham Forest incident still keeps me up at night”.
In December 1980, US Air Force personnel reported unusual lights and a metallic craft in a forest near RAF Woodbridge and RAF Bentwaters in Suffolk around 3am. Witnesses, including Sgt. Jim Penniston and John Burroughs, reported finding ground indentations and broken branches.
Col. Halt reported heightened radiation levels on the second night. Sgt. Penniston claimed to have encountered and touched a craft, stating that it was warm and had hieroglyphic-like markings. Traditional explanations suggest a meteor or a military prank, reports the Express.
Mr Pope disclosed his devastating diagnosis with a heart-wrenching social media post in February. He wrote: “A while ago, following some digestive issues, I was diagnosed with oesophageal cancer. Unfortunately, it’s Stage 4 and has metastasized to my liver.
He investigated ‘Britain’s Roswell'(Image: The People)
“While I know that it’s kindness and hope that leads people to suggest healers and supposed miracle cures, and to say things like “fight it”, and “you can beat it”…
“… I’m afraid my diagnosis and my situation leaves no doubt whatsoever: I can’t beat it.
“What an amazing adventure I’ve had. A 21-year career at the UK Ministry of Defence, where I got involved in subjects ranging from financial policy to counter-terrorism; from military policing to UAP.
“The things I’ve done; the places I’ve been; the people I’ve met; and the secrets I’ve been privy to.
“I wouldn’t have swapped it for the world.”