Uruguay, May 1958May 1958

On May 1, 1958, a photographer in the rural area near Juntas de Abreial in Uruguay's Rivera Department observed a cylindrical object in the sky. The object appeared metallic and shone like polished metal. The witness reported that the object remained stationary for approximately five minutes while producing a trail of white smoke that did not dissipate during that time. When it moved, the object made a low, rumbling sound, a characteristic noted in few UFO reports. The object had no wings and eventually descended with its head pointed downward until it stood vertical to the horizon.

A second observer, a radio technician and merchant, saw the same or a similar object on the same day from a different location near Sarandf del Y in Florida Department. This witness also described an elongated, extremely narrow cylindrical form. The object moved at a slow, regular speed from southwest to northeast and created a disturbance in the atmosphere similar to heat shimmer seen on the horizon during summer. The observer said the object disappeared suddenly without leaving a trace.

A third report came from someone traveling by car in the fields near the same area. This witness saw a white trail or wake in the sky, which suddenly disappeared without a trace.

The Uruguayan Air Force's Center for Investigation of Unidentified Flying Objects (C.I.O.V.I.) concluded that the witnesses' consistent descriptions of a cylindrical object with no wings, combined with the stationary flight, the trail, and the low rumbling noise, indicated an unidentified object. The report noted that this type of object is sometimes called a "flying cigar." The file noted insufficient data for a definitive evaluation. The Air Force provided no alternative explanation. This case file, held by the National Archives, contains 14 pages.