On 16th July 1965 the DIA intercepted 4 messages from the Argentine Navy Hydro graphic Service concerning UFO’s sighted in Antarctica. The messages were from Commander Argentine base at Deception Island 64 degrees 59 min south 60 degrees 32 min west, the commander Argentine activity at Orchids Laurie Island, South Orkney Island 60 degrees 45 min south 44 degrees 43 min west .The messages summarised sightings by Argentine personnel and reports that British and Chilean base personnel at Deception Island have also reported UFO’s.

The UFO’s were sighted on 7th June at 1950 hours a civilian meteorologist Jorge Stanich observed for 5 seconds a stationary object coloured a clear brilliant yellow, apparent diameter one point five centimetres and surrounded by an iridescent halo ,appearing under a thick cloudy condition 300 metres ceiling at two three zero degrees from true north at two five degrees above the horizon.

The later sighted at 0220 hours during a 4 second period similar objects with an apparent diameter of one centimetre wide appearing under thick cloudy ceiling of 300 metres at point 330 degrees from true north at 40degrees above the horizon. On both occasions the sightings were made from the meteorological camp.

About one week later another strange object appeared for about 10 minutes between 2230 and 2300 local hours the object was white and bluish white in appearance and had 4 or 5 appendages (rays of light) which at various times traversed over a nearby lake and around a small mountain at speeds in excess of those which could be expected of an aircraft.

On 18th June at 1600 hours all the personnel of the base at Pedro Aquirre Cerda saw a celestial body of intense luminosity a star of the first magnitude. It appeared in the east of Deception Island at an elevation of 60 degrees making a turn of 180 degrees to the left and continued on an easterly course. The object previously made a turn to the right heading in a southern direction. This phenomenon was seen for a period of 40 minutes but dark conditions and strong winds prevented mounting any photographic equipment.

On Saturday a similar body was seen at a lower altitude of 45 degrees. It passed at high velocity and was seen for 20 minutes.

On 19th June there was a reoccurrence for about 5 minutes between 2230 and 2300 hours local. On the 20th June the Chilean base commander Aguirre Cerda Base reported that at 1620 hours a luminous object larger than a first magnitude star was observed by himself, Juan Barrera, Lieutenant Benavidez (both air force pilots) Meteorologist Concha 7 and others people.

The object manoeuvred rapidly for 25 minutes over Deception Island, a second sighting was seen by 2 members of the base lasting only 5 seconds the description of the UFO was a white luminous colour, not brilliant, round form, clean outline, parabolic trajectory west to east, three zero degrees above the horizon towards the south, moved with increasing speed visual contact lost due to the clouds.

A third sighting a UFO was sighted over Deception Island by meteorologist plus 4 other people at the English Bravo base the sighting lasted for 15/20 minutes at 1945 hours on a clear night with one eighth stratocumulus condition & starry sky, the moon was in the forth quarter. The object was moving rapidly and of a brilliant colour, solid appearance and noiseless predominate colour was red and green but at times yellow bordered appearing as a brilliant star moving in variable headings, speeds and stops in an easterly direction at 45 degrees above the horizon.
On 3rd July at 1920 hours the meteorologist and eight others people at the Chilean base Pedro Aguirre Cerda observed for 20 minutes clear sky, 2/8 stratocumulus starry sky and moon 4 Th. quarter an object appearing as a stationary light at times and of solid appearance like a celestial body, noiseless, white colour with borders like a brilliant star, moving east to west central trajectory with oscillations, disappearing in the clouds, elevation zero dash four degrees over the horizon.

At 1942 hours the base Commander saw the object moving at tremendous speeds giving off a blue green light which caused interference (Electro magnetic) in the meteorological equipment located in the Argentine base directly in front of our location it was while making atmospheric observations when all of our group saw this phenomena.

The colour of the body was red yellowish changing to green to yellow to orange it was at a short distance at an angle of 45 degrees. It later took a zigzag course. During one of it’s manoeuvres it maintained a stationary position for 20 minutes, during this time corporal Uladisloa Duran Martines quickly got his camera and took 10 photographs, he also used his theodlite and long range binoculars. In this case we were more certain that we were dealing with a strange solid object because the Electro-magnetic equipment showed abnormal interference from the moment the object appeared.

Contacting the British base they too saw this object in the north moving on a zigzag course later stopping for 5-10 minutes then disappearing at great altitude, it was red, then yellowish. Then it changed to green. The Argentine detachment observed a celestial object moving at very high speeds during a period of 15 seconds with a parabolic trajectory moving from east to west with luminous white colour which caused magnetic changes in their geo-magnetic instruments, registering changes notably out of the normal.

Between the bases no communications occurred which could induce a group psychosis of the observation, a fact which is estimated to be of great interest to scientific organisations. The comment from the reporting officer was quite conclusive he reported on the sightings that, " there may be a connection between some of the sightings and the US space program. A check with NASA indicates that objects 1965 46d and 1965 46e which were part of the 1965 46a cosmos 68 series which was launched on 15th June 1965 had a decay date of 19th June 1965. Time and area of re-entry unknown.

Some credence must be given to the existence or the occurrence of some type of phenomenon in as much as the reports emanated from such widely reported locations as to rule out mass hysteria or collusion.

The story continues in 'A tale from South America' >>