1973 UFO Flap - The William Rosario Photo

 

Source: El NUEVO DIA (San Juan Puerto Rico)

Date: Friday, 26 October 1973

An Article by Carlos M. Morales, El Nuevo Día

THE SAUCERS HAVE ARRIVED!

A professional photographer living in Mayaguez was able to capture, this Wednesday, a strange object whose characteristics appear to coincide with those of the so-called flying saucers. The swift flying object startled photographer William Rosario as he took some photos on the campus of the University of Puerto Rico at Mayaguez.

Mr. Rosario was in the company of Mr. Miguel González, also a photographer, and who was able to corroborate the appearance of the strange flying craft.

The time was around nine o'clock in the morning on a very clear day (Wednesday) and while Rosario readied himself to take a snapshot of one of the college's buildings, a craft traveling swiftly from north to south appeared suddenly in space. Rosario pointed his camera quickly at the object, with barely any time to properly focus the instrument, managing to take two shots before the craft vanished into the horizon.

"I'd never seen anything like in my life!" Rosario explained when interviewed by El Nuevo Día. Aside from Rosario and González, university employees Elizabeth Nieto and Nancy Velez also confirmed the strange aerial manifestation. Both young women were somewhat taken aback by the strange craft and the photographers assuaged their fears by saying the object was likely a new aircraft prototype belonging to the U.S. Air Force. Nonetheless, the photographers were as uncertain as the young women regarding the nature of the strange craft.

"It was a round object that flew quickly, but made no sound whatsoever," said Rosario. "It executed a sudden 45 degree turn and disappeared as quickly as it appeared. It flew at the same height as large commercial aircraft, but it was very different from anything I've seen in my life. I never believed in the flying saucer business, and can't say that I'm a believer now, but I can't explain that strange vehicle," Rosario concluded.

Moreover, Frank Gaud, a reporter with The Associated Press in Mayaguez, reported that several witnesses in the Cabo Rojo coastal area ascertained that they had been witnessing luminous objects in the sky "for some months now", and that they "appeared and disappeared' in space.

The final word on strange objects in space was offered by María and Nelson Morales, residents in the El Combate sector of Cabo Rojo's Barrio Llanos Costras.

They explained that on Wednesday evening they were able to see a rather large object projecting a powerful light. After it passed over their homes, it went to hover above what is known as 'the black buoy' a mile offshore. The Cabo Rojo couple was unable to identify the object, stating that it was "strange."

[NOTE: The files of Noel Rigau on this subject add some interesting supplementary information:The camera used at the time  was a Rolleiflex75mm, and the photograph was taken in f/16  at l/250th  of a sec ond  on Kodak Tri -X ( 400 ASA)  film . It was  developed  on Kodak D-76  in the proportion 1:1.   The photograph was declared authentic by a report on October 26th  in "El Nuevo Dia". ] 

[Translation ©2026 S. Corrales, IHU with thanks to Willie Durand Urbina, Argus PR]