1958-Trindade Island UFO Photographs
By Billy Booth
Summary:
One of the best cases of photographic proof of
UFOs occurred in the middle of the South Atlantic Ocean, near the island of
Trinidade in 1958. It had served a great purpose in World War ll, being base
for United States and Brazilian warships while battling German U-boats. After
the war, the island was left deserted. However, in January of 1957, an
oceanographic and meteorological station was planned for the location.
Brazilian Naval Task Force:
A Brazilian
naval task force was in the area to begin preparations for the construction.
This initial mission was being carried out by the "Almirante
Saldanha" under the command of Captain-of-Corvette Carlos Alberto
Bacellar. The ship was manned by 300 men, and had come and gone a number of
times. On a January, 1958 trip, additional civilian personnel were present to
conduct scientific studies.
Photographic
Specialist:
Almiro
Barauna, a specialist in submarine photograph was one of the civilians. The
ship had been doing its business for several days when they were preparing to
leave the area again at shortly after noon on January 16. Several members of
the crew spotted a strange object moving toward the island at a fast pace.
Barauna was called to the deck to photograph the object.
Six Photographs Taken :
The UFO
hovered over one of the island's peaks briefly, disappeared, then reappeared,
before moving out to sea. Barauna saw the object and took six photographs of it
in a span of 15 seconds-four of these captured the object's motion. Commanding
officer Bacellar ordered the conversion of a bathroom into a dark room-he
wanted to examine the photographs immediately.
Authenticated by Navy:
Barauna was
ordered to strip off his clothes to make sure he had not hidden away some
already exposed film. The flying object had been seen by about 50 witnesses,
and when the photos were developed and authenticated by the Brazilian Navy, they
were released to the press by the President of Brazil, Mr Joscelino Kubitschek.
Almiro Barauna, Key Figure:
Although most
all of the crew who had seen the UFO was interviewed, naturally the person of
most interest was Almiro Barauna. He would be interviewed by reporter Joao
Martins, and the interview was carried to the world through the Brazilian
magazine "0 Cruzeiro" in the March 8, 1958 issue. Part of that
interview is included here:
What Happened?:
Q.
"Please tell me what was the date of the sighting? What happened?"
A."It was
on January 16, at 12:15 P.M... then I was finally able to locate the object, by
the flash (of light) it emitted. It was already close to the island. It
glittered at certain moments, perhaps changing its own light - I don't know. It
was coming over the sea, moving toward the point called the Galo Crest."
Photographer's Explanation:
I had lost
thirty seconds looking for the object, but the camera was already in my hands,
ready, when I sighted it clearly silhouetted against the clouds. I shot two
photos before it disappeared behind the peak Desejado. My camera was set at a
speed of 125 [125th of a second], with the aperture at f/8, and this was the
cause of an overexposure error, as I discovered later."
Two Photographs Lost:
"The
object remained out of sight for a few seconds-behind the peak-reappearing
bigger in size and flying in the opposite direction, but lower and closer than
before, and moving at a higher speed. I shot the third photo. The fourth and
fifth ones were lost, not only because of the speed the saucer was moving, but
also for another reason: In the confusion produced as a result of the sighting,
I was being pulled and pushed by other persons also trying to spot the object
and, as a consequence, photographed the sea and the island only-not the
object."
Conclusions:
The photographs taken aboard the "Almirante
Saldanha" by Almiro Barauna, along with the corroborating testimony of 50
additional witnesses to the UFO, make the Trinidade Island images some of the
most compelling ever taken of a UFO.
Early UFO Reports
See some of the best known early cases of flying saucers
- The Kenneth Arnold Sighting
- The Roswell Crash
- Gorman Plane - UFO Encounter
- The Mantell Crash
- Chiles-Whitted Encounter
- The Lubbock Lights
- Washington DC Buzzed by UFOs
- Felix Moncla Encounter
- Levelland, Texas Landings
- The Trindade Island Photographs
- The Papua, New Guinea Sightings
- Betty & Barney Hill Abduction
- The Socorro, New Mexico Landing
- The Kecksburg, Pennsylvania Crash
- Encounter at Falcon Lake
- Foo Fighters - UFOs of World War II
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