Mexican Air Force UFO Encounter
Mexican Air Force pilots tracked 11 UFOs on radar and FLIR during a drug surveillance mission. The Mexican government released the footage—unprecedented official disclosure.
On March 5, 2004, a Mexican Air Force surveillance aircraft encountered and recorded multiple unidentified objects over the Gulf of Mexico. In an unprecedented move, the Mexican government officially released the footage—one of the first times any government had done so.
The Mission
A Mexican Air Force Merlin C26A aircraft was conducting a routine drug surveillance patrol over Campeche state when the crew detected unusual targets. According to official accounts:
- 11 objects appeared on radar
- The objects were not visible to the naked eye
- They were clearly visible on the FLIR (Forward Looking Infrared) camera
- The objects surrounded the aircraft
The Footage
The FLIR video shows multiple bright objects:
- Moving in formation
- Changing positions relative to each other
- Some objects appearing to merge and separate
- Movement patterns unlike conventional aircraft
The crew expressed surprise and concern on the audio recording as the objects appeared to surround their plane.
Official Release
What made this case remarkable was the Mexican government’s response:
May 2004: Mexican Secretary of Defense General Clemente Ricardo Vega García authorized release of the footage Public Presentation: The footage was presented to journalist Jaime Maussan, who broadcast it Military Acknowledgment: The Air Force confirmed the footage was authentic and unexplained
This represented unprecedented official transparency about a UFO encounter.
Analysis
Various explanations were proposed:
- Ball lightning: Atmospheric electrical phenomenon
- Oil platform flares: Burning gas from Gulf oil rigs
- Military aircraft: Though none were in the area
- Genuine unknown: The Mexican military’s official position
Skeptics noted the objects’ positions roughly corresponded to known oil platforms. However, supporters argued:
- The objects moved unlike stationary flares
- Radar returns suggested solid objects
- The crew’s reactions indicated something unusual
Significance
The Mexican Air Force UFO case was significant for:
- Official government release of UFO footage
- Multiple forms of evidence (radar + FLIR)
- Trained military observers
- Government willingness to acknowledge the unknown
It set a precedent for government transparency that wouldn’t be matched until the Pentagon’s UAP releases in 2017-2020.