The Aguadilla Airport UFO Incident (2013)

Infrared Camera Captures Mysterious Object Over Puerto Rico

Rafael Hernández Airport — April 25, 2013.
Late one evening over the northwestern coast of Puerto Rico, a routine patrol flight unexpectedly recorded one of the most intriguing UFO videos ever captured by a government aircraft. The event, now widely known as the Aguadilla Airport UFO incident, involved a mysterious airborne object tracked by pilots and filmed with a thermal infrared camera.

The Sighting

At approximately 9:20 PM, a U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) DHC-8 turboprop aircraft had just taken off from Rafael Hernández Airport for a routine mission when the crew noticed a pinkish-red glowing light approaching from the ocean.

Concerned that it might be an unidentified aircraft or a smuggler, the pilot contacted the airport control tower. The tower operators confirmed that they could also see the object but could not identify it on radar or through normal flight communication systems.

The crew then activated their forward-looking infrared (FLIR) camera to track and record the mysterious object.

The Infrared Footage

The thermal video captured a small object moving rapidly across the airport area at low altitude. According to reports, the object:

• Flew across the airspace near the runway

• Traveled toward the Atlantic Ocean

• Appeared to skim the water surface

• Seemed to enter and exit the ocean

• Later appeared to split into two separate objects before disappearing offshore.

The object remained visible on camera for several minutes while the aircraft tracked it from the air.

Radar and Witness Reports

Investigators later reported that unknown radar targets without transponders were detected in the area shortly before the encounter.

Witnesses included:

• The CBP aircraft crew

• Air traffic controllers at Rafael Hernández Airport

• Additional radar monitoring systems in the region

Because the object lacked a transponder and did not match known aircraft behavior, it was classified as an unidentified aerial phenomenon (UAP).

Scientific Analysis and Debate

In the years following the incident, several research groups studied the footage. The Scientific Coalition for UAP Studies (SCU) described the video as one of the most compelling pieces of UFO evidence due to the quality of the thermal imaging and the apparent air-to-water movement of the object.

However, other analysts have proposed alternative explanations. Some reconstructions suggest the video may show two objects moving together at wind speed, creating the illusion of splitting or entering the ocean due to camera perspective and sensor limitations.

Why the Case Remains Famous

The Aguadilla incident stands out among modern UFO reports because:

• It was recorded by government equipment

• Multiple witnesses observed the object

• Radar data and thermal video exist

• The footage shows unusual behavior over both air and water

More than a decade later, the true nature of the object seen over Aguadilla remains unconfirmed, leaving the case as one of the most debated UFO sightings of the 21st century.