Brazil's Official UFO Night
On the night of May 19, civilian and military witnesses across southeastern Brazil reported lights, and the Air Force's air defense radar tracked targets. Five fighter jets were sent to intercept. Some pilots saw lights the radar didn't register, and the Air Force counted only sightings confirmed both ways. Four days later, Air Minister Brigadier Octávio Moreira Lima told reporters, 'Technically, I would tell you that we have no explanation.'
The ledger
What the record shows, what people say, and the best explanation available so far.
What's documented
- The minister's televised press conference.
- An Air Force report dated June 2, 1986, released in 2009. It described the objects as solid and showing a degree of intelligence.
- Most of the Air Force's UFO files were later moved to Brazil's National Archives.
What's claimed
- Brazil's military chased alien craft for hours.
Best explanation so far
No full explanation has been published. Skeptics point to radar effects, bright stars and planets, and the difficulty of pilots judging distant lights at night.
Check the sources
Go to the originals. Every link opens the archive or record in a new tab.
If you liked this one
Operação Prato
Brazil's Air Force sends a team to a river island where residents say lights are attacking them.
The Belgian Wave
Triangles over Belgium, F-16s scrambled, and a photo that turned out to be fake.
The Tehran F-4 Chase
Iranian jets lose instruments as they approach a brilliant light. A U.S. intelligence memo followed.