Discover Fascinating Insights from Declassified CIA Documents: A Reader’s Journey
Mysterious UFO Sighting Over Trindade Island: 1958 Incident Captured by Brazilian Photographer
In the annals of UFO sightings, few are as captivating as the January 16, 1958, incident over Trindade Island, Brazil. On that fateful day, nearly 100 crew members aboard the Brazilian Navy’s Almirante Saldanha witnessed a bizarre and inexplicable phenomenon that has since become a cornerstone in UFO lore.
The sighting occurred just after noon during the International Geophysical Year, a period devoted to worldwide scientific research. Among the ship’s personnel were Captain Jose Teobaldo, a retired Brazilian Air Force officer, and a team of submarine explorers led by Amilar Vieira Filho. They were joined by professional photographer Almiro Barauna, who had been invited by the Navy to document some of their exercises.
As the crew went about their routine, a mysterious object appeared, glowing either from self-light or reflected sunlight, and surrounded by a greenish vapor. It flew in an undulating but rapid path toward the island, capturing everyone’s attention. The crew immediately called for Barauna, who rushed to the deck with his Rolleiflex 2.8, Model E, camera. He set it to 1/125 with an f/8 aperture—a setting he later realized had overexposed the film slightly—and managed to snap two shots before the object disappeared behind Desejado Peak.
Moments later, the UFO reappeared, this time lower and larger, and flying in the opposite direction. Amid the frenzy, Barauna captured three more shots, although only the first image was clear due to the chaotic conditions. The object then seemed to pause mid-air, allowing Barauna to take one final shot before it sped away for good.
The film was developed on the ship under the watchful eyes of several officers, including Commander Carlos A. Bacallar. Though only the negatives were available initially, they were thoroughly examined by everyone aboard. Once the ship returned to port, enlargements were handed over to the Navy and sent to the Cruzeiro du Sul Aerophotogrammetric service for analysis. The verdict? The negatives were genuine, with no signs of trickery or falsification.
Barauna and other witnesses underwent further scrutiny by naval authorities, but ultimately the chief intelligence officer confirmed the authenticity of the photographs and praised Barauna for his work. While these compelling images garnered widespread attention, the photos themselves were not released to the public at the time.
Dr. Olavo Fontes of Rio de Janeiro was also involved in inspecting the findings, and the incident has since become a subject of much intrigue. For those curious about the sighting, detailed documents are available in the CIA’s reading room—a treasure trove for UFO enthusiasts.
Have you heard about this historic sighting? Do the elusive photos still intrigue you? The CIA reading room might just be the rabbit hole you’re looking for.
