UFO expert Nick Pope dies at 60

Nick Pope, the erstwhile UK Ministry of Defence authoritative wide known for his enactment investigating UFOs, has died astatine the property of 60 aft battling esophageal crab that had dispersed to his liver. His wife, Elizabeth Weiss, confirmed that helium passed distant astatine their location successful Tucson connected Monday, April 7, 2026.

Pope’s decease marks a important nonaccomplishment for the UFO probe community, wherever helium had go 1 of the astir recognizable and influential figures. Often described arsenic a real-life counterpart to Fox Mulder from The X-Files, Pope spent much than 2 decades examining reports of unidentified aerial phenomena and their imaginable implications.

He served for 21 years astatine the UK Ministry of Defence, including a cardinal relation betwixt 1991 and 1994, erstwhile helium led the government’s classified UFO project. In that position, helium was tasked with assessing whether unexplained sightings posed immoderate menace to nationalist security—work that aboriginal defined his nationalist reputation.

In February 2026, Pope revealed connected societal media that helium had been diagnosed with esophageal crab that had already dispersed to his liver. Acknowledging the severity of his condition, helium admitted astatine the clip that helium “can’t bushed it.” Despite his declining health, helium continued to springiness interviews successful the last weeks of his life, remaining engaged with the taxable that had defined his career.

Following his status from authorities work successful 2006, Pope transitioned into a salient media role. He appeared successful astir 100 episodes of the TV bid Ancient Aliens and worked arsenic a advisor connected large subject fabrication films, helping to signifier nationalist treatment astir UFOs and extraterrestrial life.

His wife, Elizabeth Weiss, remembered him arsenic a “wonderful husband” whom she “loved dearly.”

Pope’s bequest endures some successful authoritative records and successful fashionable culture, wherever his enactment helped bring the once-shadowy tract of UFO probe into mainstream conversation.