On April 26, 2013, a U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) aircraft captured an infrared video of an Unidentified Anomalous Phenomenon (UAP) near the Rafael Hernandez Airport in Aguadilla, Puerto Rico. The footage appeared to show an object moving at high speed, seemingly splitting into two, and entering and exiting the water before disappearing into the ocean. This incident, with its multi-sensor data and the involvement of trained government agents, has become a significant case in UAP discussions, despite later assessments by official bodies.1
The Encounter and Data
The CBP Air & Marine Operations DHC-8 crew initially observed a bright, "pinkish to reddish light" flying low over the ocean, occasionally submerging and resurfacing. The object's movements were described as erratic, with sharp turns and sudden changes in direction, defying conventional flight patterns.2 The FLIR MX-15D video captured a 3-minute, 54-second sequence showing a thermal contrast that persisted even after alleged submersion. Independent radar data from the FAA primary radar at Pico del Este QJQ site also recorded 50 returns of a non-transponding target 16 minutes prior to the flight, and a FedEx Flight 58 manifest showed a 16-minute ground hold aligning with unknown traffic, further corroborating the presence of an anomalous object.3
Conflicting Interpretations
The video and associated data have prompted competing interpretations. The Scientific Coalition for UAP Studies (SCU) conducted a detailed analysis, concluding that the object's behavior defied known technology and common explanations like balloons or drones, noting an estimated eighty-plus mph underwater motion and no thermal plume.4 However, the All-domain Anomaly Resolution Office (AARO) has since assessed with high confidence that the objects did not demonstrate anomalous speeds or flight behaviors. AARO's reconstruction suggested that the video depicted two objects traveling near each other, rather than a single object splitting, and that they traveled in a straight line at wind speed, never entering the water. Their assessment is based on the objects' morphological consistency with balloons and their correlation with recorded wind speed and direction.5
Legacy and Ambiguity
Despite AARO's assessment, the Aguadilla incident remains a subject of significant debate. The credibility of the witnesses, who were trained government agents operating a surveillance aircraft, adds weight to the incident's significance for many. The case highlights the challenges in definitively explaining UAP events, particularly when interpretations of sensor data diverge. Until further high-frame-rate sensor metadata, Doppler radar phase returns, and contemporaneous ADS-B archives are released, the Aguadilla sequence persists as an ambiguous exemplar: neither conventional nor demonstrably non-human.6