Aguadilla Puerto Rico UAP (2013)

On April 25, 2013, a US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) DHC-8 turboprop aircraft equipped with infrared (FLIR) cameras recorded an unexplained aerial phenomenon over the Rafael Hernandez Airport (TJMQ) in Aguadilla, Puerto Rico. The incident involved an object moving at high speed and exhibiting unusual maneuvers before apparently diving into the ocean.

April 25, 2013, approximately 21:16 EST: A DHC-8 aircraft with tail number N144SC, operated by Air Marine Operations (AMO) of CBP, was conducting a routine coastal patrol near Aguadilla, Puerto Rico. Approximately 21:16:40 EST: The FLIR camera system on board the DHC-8 detected an anomalous object. Approximately 21:16:40 - 21:17:30 EST: The object was tracked by the FLIR camera, exhibiting rapid movement and changes in direction. Approximately 21:17:30 EST: The object reportedly appears to descend towards the ocean surface. Post-event: The FLIR footage was subsequently analyzed by various individuals and groups.

The only verified fact is the existence of the FLIR video footage, recorded by a US Customs and Border Protection DHC-8 aircraft on April 25, 2013, over Aguadilla, Puerto Rico. This footage shows a thermal signature of an object. The video carries the CBP timestamp and metadata for the recording.

Numerous claims have been reported regarding the object's characteristics and behavior. These include:

• The object reportedly moved at speeds in excess of 100 mph, potentially reaching Mach 2 at certain points.
• It reportedly split into two distinct objects at one point before rejoining.
• It reportedly demonstrated buoyancy and hydrodynamics inconsistent with known aircraft or drones.
• The object reportedly entered and exited the ocean without apparent damage or deceleration.

The incident occurred during a routine patrol, and the operators of the DHC-8 aircraft were reportedly the primary witnesses. No direct, officially released written or recorded testimony from the CBP crew regarding the incident has been made public. However, researchers who subsequently obtained the footage have reported that the crew expressed bewilderment by the object's behavior.

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS), which oversees CBP, acknowledged the existence of the video in response to Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) requests. However, no public report detailing an official DHS or CBP investigation into the nature of the object has been released. The "Scientific Coalition for UAP Studies" (SCU), a private scientific research group, acquired the footage through FOIA and conducted its own extensive analysis, publishing a detailed report in 2016.

The SCU's 2016 report analyzed the FLIR footage, examining the object's apparent size, speed, and thermal characteristics. Their analysis concluded that the object's kinematics (speed, acceleration, and maneuvers), infrared signature, and ability to transition between air and water environments were anomalous. The SCU ruled out conventional explanations such as birds, balloons, flares, and conventional aircraft. They calculated velocities ranging from 44 mph to approximately 120 mph when detected, with moments of extremely rapid acceleration. The report highlighted the difficulty of reconciling the observed thermal data with known physical phenomena for a solid object of its estimated size.

Skeptical explanations generally center on misidentification or technical artifacts of the FLIR system. Without corroborating sensor data, some argue the object could be an optical illusion, a distant aircraft, or debris. The "splitting" phenomenon has been attributed to lens flare or camera auto-focus issues. The apparent entry into the water has been suggested as a trick of perspective or the object simply moving out of the camera's field of view. Some argue the thermal signature could be an exhaust plume or reflected heat, rather than the object itself.

The core unexplained elements are the object's extreme speed and acceleration, its reported ability to "split" and then merge, and its apparent seamless transition between atmospheric and aquatic environments, all without discernible propulsion or aerodynamic surfaces from the available thermal imagery. The lack of an official explanation or classification from CBP or DHS for an object detected by their own surveillance equipment remains a significant unanswered question.