Aguadilla Customs UAP

On April 26, 2013, a U.S. Customs and Border Protection aircraft flying above Rafael Hernandez Airport near Aguadilla, Puerto Rico captured thermal video of two objects using a Wescam MX-15D infrared camera. The three-minute video showed objects moving at wind speed and direction, with one appearing to enter and exit the water before splitting into two distinct thermal signatures. The incident prompted competing investigations: a two-year scientific study by the Scientific Coalition for UAP Studies (SCU) and a 2025 assessment by the U.S. government's All-domain Anomaly Resolution Office (AARO).

What was captured on video?

The infrared footage shows a circular object with unusual thermal properties. According to SCU's frame-by-frame analysis, the object displayed speeds exceeding 100 mph and appeared to have transmedium capabilities (the ability to move between air and water). The video also shows the object seemingly splitting into two objects with distinct thermal signatures, with one disappearing while the other remained visible before filming stopped.

Who investigated this incident?

The CBP flight crew attempted to initiate an internal review within the Department of Homeland Security and the Air Force, but both agencies declined to investigate. The video later reached Morgan Bell, MUFON Florida State Director, who assembled a team of scientists including Robert Powell and Larry Cates. Their two-year investigation resulted in a comprehensive 165-page report completed in November 2013. In 2025, the All-domain Anomaly Resolution Office (AARO) conducted its own assessment and released findings on March 20, 2025.

What did SCU's analysis conclude?

SCU's study examined frame-by-frame infrared data and cross-referenced it with FAA radar data. Their analysis suggested the object displayed speeds exceeding 100 mph and transmedium capabilities, and concluded the object was not a known aircraft, bird, or weather phenomenon. SCU rejected the theory that the objects were sky lanterns, arguing that wind speeds required to match the camera's line of sight would be too fast for lanterns to remain airborne, and that the lantern theory does not explain the object's disappearance behind trees or into the water.

What is AARO's official assessment?

AARO assessed with moderate confidence that the objects were a pair of sky lanterns. The agency concluded with high confidence that the objects did not demonstrate anomalous performance characteristics. AARO's technical analysis used STK reconstruction software to show the objects moved in a straight line at wind speed over land. The agency attributed the apparent high speed to motion parallax, an optical effect that makes slow-moving objects appear faster when viewed from a moving frame of reference. AARO also stated that the apparent entry into the Atlantic Ocean was a thermal contrast effect, not actual submersion.

What remains unresolved?

SCU submitted a series of technical questions to AARO regarding their sky lantern hypothesis and specific claims in their report. AARO acknowledged the inquiry but stated they are not currently prepared to provide answers to those questions, though they may address them in a future follow-up report.