Report Type: Transmedium USO (thermal / infrared camera) Date: April 26, 2013 Time: Approximately 9:20–9:25 PM local time (after sunset at ~7:48 PM) Location Name: Aguadilla (near Rafael Hernández Airport and northwestern coast) Country: Puerto Rico (United States territory) GPS Coordinates: Approx. 18.4300° N, 67.1500° W
What Happened: A U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) De Havilland Canada DHC-8 aircraft, equipped with a Wescam MX-15D forward-looking infrared (FLIR) thermal imaging sensor (operating in the 3-5 micron range), captured footage of an unidentified object while preparing to land at Rafael Hernández Airport in Aguadilla, Puerto Rico.
The thermal video shows a roughly spherical or circular object moving at apparent high speed over land (crossing near the airport runway at low altitude), exhibiting unusual thermal characteristics. It appeared to split into two objects, enter the ocean without significant deceleration or splash (transmedium behavior), travel underwater briefly, and then emerge before the objects separated further or disappeared. The event lasted about 3+ minutes in the recorded footage. Radar data reportedly correlated with the video metadata in independent analyses.
This is considered one of the more compelling government-captured UAP/USO cases due to the official sensor origin, multi-domain movement claims, and detailed third-party scientific scrutiny.
Additional Details: The video was released via FOIA and has been extensively analyzed by groups like the Scientific Coalition for UAP Studies (SCU), which produced a detailed 2015 report supporting anomalous characteristics (e.g., estimated size/temperature, flight dynamics inconsistent with balloons or birds, minimal water disturbance). Proponents highlight the object's apparent speed (~100 mph estimates in some analyses), low-altitude urban traversal, and seamless air-water transition.
In 2025, the All-domain Anomaly Resolution Office (AARO) assessed with high confidence that the objects showed no anomalous speeds or transmedium capabilities. Their analysis, supported by flight path reconstruction, concluded the footage likely depicts two objects (possibly sky lanterns) traveling near each other in a straight line at wind speed, creating the illusion of splitting and water entry due to camera perspective and look angle. AARO's reconstruction video is publicly available.
The case remains debated in UAP communities, with ongoing discussion about sensor data interpretation versus prosaic explanations. Puerto Rico has a long history of UAP/USO reports, making it a hotspot for such incidents.
Useful Resources:
- Official Video & Analysis: Full FOIA-released thermal video on DVIDS: https://www.dvidshub.net/video/944204/puerto-rico-objects
- AARO Case Resolution PDF (2025): https://www.aaro.mil/Portals/136/PDFs/case_resolution_reports/AARO_Puerto_Rico_UAP_Case_Resolution.pdf
- AARO Reconstruction Video: https://www.dvidshub.net/video/955936/2013-puerto-rico-object-reconstruction
- SCU Detailed Scientific Report (2015): Available via Zenodo or Mystery Wire links (comprehensive frame-by-frame, radar, and thermal analysis): https://zenodo.org/records/7844175
FOIA Video Release of the 'Aguadilla UAP' in Puerto Rico (includes official report narration): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cuSZDrBDgb8
