Noel Rigau: A Close Encounter at El Yunque (Puerto Rico)

 Puerto Rico: A Close Encounter at El Yunque (Caribbean National Rainforest)

By Noel E. Rigau 

On Saturday, October 20, at approximately 6:00 p.m., a group of nine people arrived at a trail leading to the summit of El Yunque—a mountain about 1,065 meters high—with the specific intention of observing UFOs, should any appear. The group consisted of Heriberto Ramos (an engineer), Juan Jiménez (a commercial pilot), his brother Luis Jiménez, a university student named Efraín Arroyo, and a high school teacher accompanied by four of his students; all of them preferred to remain anonymous. The group was equipped with a camera and infrared film, flashlights, and signaling devices (possibly flares), as well as food and camping gear. While ascending the trail toward the summit of El Yunque, they crossed paths with three young women and a young man coming down the same route; this smaller group had only one flashlight among them. The members of the expedition found it quite strange that one individual from this other group asked for directions to the main road, given that it was beginning to get dark and there were no other vehicles parked at the trailhead—only their own. According to José Jiménez, the three young women were very attractive, resembled one another, and were dressed identically: in blue trousers and red sweaters. All these details were confirmed by Efraín Arroyo during an in-depth interview we conducted with him on November 9, 1973.

Around midnight, one of the expedition members remarked to his companions that he felt as though something—or someone—was watching them. Then, they heard a sound, prompting Juan Jiménez to begin taking infrared photographs in near-total darkness, pointing his camera toward the direction from which the noise seemed to originate. They then approached the site and, by the light of a flashlight, observed deep footprints in the flattened grass, as well as some broken branches. Shortly thereafter, Heriberto Ramos and Efraín Arroyo separated from the main group and descended the mountainside. In the dim light—occasionally illuminated by the moon peeking through the clouds—they spotted four beings coming down a narrow path. "We could only make out shadows, silhouettes moving back and forth across the path in a zigzag pattern..." One of them appeared to be the leader; they advanced a bit further and then stopped. "We proceeded with great caution, not knowing what we might encounter. The creature in the lead seemed to be holding a small device—perhaps electronic—that emitted green, blue, and red lights; it was moving it up and down. It wasn't a light source, but rather something... that featured these little lights." They could hear the noise the beings made as they brushed against the trees. By then, they were much closer. At that moment, one of their companions, who was following behind, shone his flashlight on one of the creatures. They immediately moved away. Arroyo notes that this was the closest they ever got to these strange beings. In that instant, they felt an unusual sense of calm—something they had never experienced before. They repeated the process, approaching the creatures, which, in turn, moved away once again.

Throughout the rest of the night, the group kept a constant watch. At 5:30 a.m., they began their descent from El Yunque and discovered that the entire trail down the mountain was covered in footprints much larger than those of a normal-sized human foot. These tracks not only extended across the terrain on both sides of the road, but were also accompanied by other, smaller types of marks. Furthermore, the branches of nearby bushes were broken—in some cases, completely severed from the plants to which they belonged. The tracks led all the way to where the vehicles were parked.

It was estimated that the minimum distance between the creatures and the witnesses was between 15 and 20 feet (approximately 4.5 to 6 meters). Details could only be discerned when the creatures were illuminated by a flashlight. According to the eyewitness accounts: "There were four creatures, between 5 and 6 feet (1.5 to 1.8 meters) tall, with long arms. We didn't see their hands, but we got the impression that they were large." When illuminated, "we observed a creature with large eyes, a nose, pointed ears, and horns—though not all of us agreed on this last point." Their movements were rapid, "almost like leaps; it felt as though they might have been grabbing onto tree branches to vault from one side of the road to the other. A great deal of pressure must have been exerted to leave such tracks; our own shoe heels barely left any mark at all."

Upon returning to their respective homes, commercial pilot Juan Jiménez took his infrared film with him. On October 21, while sitting on the balcony of her home with a neighbor, Jiménez’s mother was able to... ...hearing "a strange movement, as if someone were tampering with the film or pulling out the reel." A neighbor also heard this sound, which frightened both women. In fact, they fled the house and did not return until the rest of the family came back a few hours later.

The following day, Efraín Arroyo took the film from his home to a commercial laboratory to be developed. That same night, his parents heard strange noises: "The floorboards seemed to move on their own; we heard thuds on the roof and something that sounded like a bell. Suddenly, an electric fan rolled across the floor." According to Arroyo, the strange noises—which we are inclined to believe may have been the result of *poltergeist* activity—ceased after a few days. The infrared film was developed, but yielded no significant results; consequently, it was discarded shortly thereafter.

Other witnesses to the mysterious events in El Yunque reported having terrifying nightmares shortly afterward—among them, a student who chose to remain anonymous. He claimed to have seen an apparition: a creature that told him he would forget everything that had happened. Following an exhaustive investigation, the case received extensive media coverage, largely because the witnesses were serious, highly respected individuals within their social circles.

(Cr: Awareness, Summer 1974)

Noel Rigau: The 1973 UFO Wave in Puerto Rico

 

Noel Rigau: The 1973 UFO Wave in Puerto Rico

[Eminent ufologist Noel E. Rigau’s casebook includes the intense UFO activity in Puerto Rico during the year 1973, particularly November of that year. Activity began earlier, of course, with the humanoid incident at El Yunque (Caribbean National Rainforest) and William Rosario’s stunning UFO photograph in Mayaguez, events from October of that year which we shall refer to individually. UFO events in the Caribbean and South America would extend into 1974 and even 1975 – SC]

Early November 1973 (exact date unknown). While the exact date is uncertain, at some point during the first part of that month, 55-year-old Mrs. Monserrate Cancel, together with some neighbors, observed a UFO for 15 minutes. At 9:30 p.m., the witnesses were praying in the backyard of a house when they suddenly saw a strange, round object featuring green and yellow lights; it was hovering about 30 feet (approx. 9 meters) above them and spinning on its axis. The object remained stationary for a time but then slowly moved away until it was lost from sight.

November 2, 1973: In the Piña neighborhood of the municipality of Toa Alta, witnesses claimed to have seen a strange, oval-shaped object "flying very low, almost silently, with a silvery phosphorescence." Its pilot appeared human; he waved and gestured, and was wearing a helmet and goggles of an unusual type. The UFO "hovered in the air for a few minutes, as if about to land, but then made a sharp right turn and headed north." Witnesses confirmed finding a "warm, ash-like dust" on the ground, a sample of which we were unable to obtain.

Later that night, a young man named Andrés Acevedo, from the neighboring Quebrada Cruz neighborhood, saw a UFO flying northward; it displayed a light positioned high up and another lower down, as well as two "antennas."

November 9, 1973: A biology teacher, Edwino Lebrón Lebrón, was reading in the backyard of his home in Villa Nevares, San Juan, at 8:00 p.m. ...of that day, when he saw "two luminous discs in military formation (one parallel to the other) flying at high speed from west to east."

November 10, 1973: Dozens of people in the town of Maricao saw "a very bright flying object that appeared to be rotating and seemed to be emitting 'flames of fire'." This event occurred at 8:30 p.m. and lasted 15 minutes.

Among the witnesses was Mr. Enrique Sánchez Rosado.

November 11, 1973: On this date, during the night, a series of UFO sightings took place, primarily in the vicinity of San Juan, the capital. At 6:30 p.m., a group of young people at El Morro saw six UFOs moving from north to south, heading toward Cataño. The objects were "round in shape, with a red light on top." At 7:00 p.m., Ms. Ana Soldevilla and her family saw a luminous object above the Parque Urbano Floral that they initially mistook for a star. However, the object "remained motionless for 5 minutes, emitting numerous twinkling lights," and then moved away from the area. At that same time, Mr. Guillermo Gandía and his family (Raquel, Walter, Edgardo, Iván, and Madeline) witnessed a UFO in the Sagrado Corazón urban area that "remained motionless for 5 minutes." This UFO was oval-shaped and featured a row of small lights at its base forming a ring that "spun rapidly." The UFO then began to move swiftly toward the west, at which point another object appeared in the spot previously occupied by the first. This second UFO was seen more clearly. "It appeared to consist of three layers arranged horizontally, one above the other; the predominant color was reddish-orange." Suddenly, this object accelerated toward the first one, changing to white; both objects hovered over Río Piedras for 10 minutes. At the end of that period, a commercial airliner passed nearby; both UFOs moved away vertically and then disappeared toward the north, passing out of sight.

November 17, 1973: A 20-year-old man (R.A.) was returning home at 10:30 p.m. after visiting a friend in the Santana neighborhood of Sabana Grande. While walking and carrying a flashlight, he saw a luminous object descending from the sky toward him. The young man quickly turned off the flashlight and hid behind some trees. The UFO, without making a sound, made a sharp turn and ascended again. The young man's mother later confirmed that he arrived home very frightened and nervous and told her what had happened.

November 18, 1973: Several residents of the Ramón E. Betances housing complex, in the municipality of Cabo Rojo, recounted to journalist Reinaldo Silvestri  the sighting of a strange object that was "flying relatively low and at high speed."

November 22, 1973: Mr. José A. Arroyo, a 43-year-old Social Security employee, recounts that at 3:30 p.m. he was in the garden of the Guanajibo Homes subdivision in Mayagüez when he saw an object that was "extremely bright and looked like a tilted saucer, moving silently and at high speed" at an altitude of about 400 meters. The UFO was also seen by a neighbor, Gerardo Molina, and by Luis Alicea, as well as by the witness's wife, Carmen C. de Arroyo. It all happened within a span of 10 to 15 seconds. The UFO was moving in a southwesterly direction.

November 24, 1973: During the afternoon, several radio stations in Mayagüez received numerous calls regarding an unidentified object flying over the town. At 2:00 PM, J.A. Ríos reported seeing a "cube-shaped" flying object coming from Cerro Las Mesas at a very low altitude, moving northeast at "high speed." He observed a sort of protrusion on its upper section. According to the witness, the object was spinning on its axis. At 6:30 PM, Ms. Marta Troche and her daughter saw a red UFO "with a white light circling it" throughout its journey toward the northeast.

At 8:00 PM, Ms. Nidia del Valle de Agrait heard a "sound like a vacuum cleaner" while hanging laundry in the backyard of her home in Cabo Rojo-Boquerón, located at kilometer marker 8. She looked up and saw a strange object—positioned almost directly in front of her—about 15 meters away and no more than 10 meters above the ground. The object was not clearly defined due to the dim evening light. The main witness, who was accompanied by her three children, described it as "an eye-shaped object with a light or window in its central section; ...it was like a pure eye." Faced with this unexpected situation, Ms. de Agrait began to scream loudly. The UFO then started to ascend slowly "while tilting to one side." At that moment, the local power supply dropped significantly. Two neighbors spotted the UFO after it had gained altitude and was moving away toward the west. Curiously, prior to this incident, Ms. de Agrait had experienced two dreams she considered "strange." In them, extraterrestrial creatures took her to another "place" where they showed her the wonders of their world. It is worth noting that Mrs. de Agrait is a teacher and is highly respected in the local community.

Late November 1973 (exact date unrecorded): At a time that could not be determined, Isabel Padilla de Madura, a lawyer residing in La Rambla (Ponce), observed a "group of luminous objects traveling in a 'V' formation at high altitude" over the city at 11:00 p.m. The UFOs were moving from the beach (to the south) toward the mountains of Adjuntas (to the northeast).

Mexico: UFOs Over Chihuahua (1973)

 

The 1973 UFO Wave in Mexico

 

1973: UFOs Over Chihuahua (From the book *UFOs Over Mexico* by Santiago García)

 

 Heraldo de la Tarde. Chihuahua, August 15, 1973. Believe it or not, flying saucers visited us last night—or at least one appeared near the state capital, about 35 kilometers out on the highway to Cuauhtémoc. If you feel like laughing, go ahead—just as many of my colleagues here in the newsroom did when we first heard the news. But we are in the seventh decade of the twentieth century, and it is time to take seriously certain things that our ancestors dismissed as legend or witchcraft. 

 

The eyewitness (to use a term currently popular in cinema) is a thoroughly serious and responsible family man: Mr. Rogelio Yapor González, a Social Security employee in Ciudad Cuauhtémoc. Mr. Yapor says he was traveling with his family to Ciudad Cuauhtémoc—from where he called us via long-distance—when he spotted a luminous object, roughly 50 meters in diameter, hovering quite close to the ground. The object—which he called a "flying saucer"—would occasionally slip behind the clouds, only to descend again at the speed of a jet. 

 

According to the witness, this went on for 45 minutes. He says he watched it from the *Mirador* (lookout point), about 35 kilometers from the capital, all the way to a point 40 kilometers further along the road—a journey they made slowly, precisely to admire the spectacle, which must have been truly marvelous. 

 

"Suddenly," Mr. Yapor told us, "at breakneck speed and heading toward the mountains, the saucer sped away until it looked like a mere star-like point, before finally vanishing." Could it be true? Perhaps. But... would *you* make a long-distance call to a newspaper newsroom just to share details like these? After all, Mr. Yapor didn't even give us his name until we asked for it.

 

(Translation ©2026 Inexplicata with thanks to Santiago García) 

Argentina: Multidisciplinary Research Team on the Trail of UFOs

Source: Noticias Radio Reflejos (Argentina) Sierra de la Ventana, Tornquist, Buenos Aires Province.

Date: October 9, 2026

An article by Arnaldo Botto

 Argentina: Multidisciplinary Research Team on the Trail of UFOs

A team of researchers has arrived in the region to gather local accounts, analyze light patterns, and use technological tools to understand the nature and intelligence behind these events.

 A multidisciplinary research team investigating the UFO phenomenon and luminous anomalies is currently carrying out a new phase of fieldwork in the area. The initiative aims to delve deeper into the study of various unusual manifestations in the region, combining the collection of firsthand accounts with technical analysis and approaches drawn from the social sciences.

 The group consists of lawyer and researcher Esteban Lingeri; Hugo Daniel López, the team's founder and a pioneer in the field; and anthropologist Patricio Parente, who brings a human sciences perspective to the interpretation of the accounts.

 Speaking on the radio with journalist Arnaldo Botto, Dr. Esteban Lingeri outlined the scientific approach of their expedition:

 "Basically, what we want to do is see if we can unravel—or at least begin to understand—this phenomenon. It encompasses a wide range of manifestations, though it is predominantly characterized by light-based phenomena."

 Lingeri explained that these apparitions go by various local names, depending on the specific area or the nature of the encounter:

 "There are lights—strange lights of all kinds: those in the sky, those that hover close to the ground, those that move. People call them *luz mala* [evil light], or refer to them as 'phantom cars' or 'lanterns'—they go by many different names depending on the region."

 First-person accounts and interaction with witnesses: "Pure gold"

 For the researchers, the firsthand experiences of the local residents and observers are an essential pillar of the study. Lingeri issued a special appeal to the community to contribute new accounts:

 "We value testimonies and witnesses—the accounts provided by witnesses—as pure gold."

 He also highlighted the importance of reports from protected area staff and park rangers; due to their constant presence in environments with minimal light pollution, they frequently record unique events:

 "We have received various reports from other provinces and elsewhere from direct witnesses who are park rangers."

 Among the local experiences mentioned during the interview, the account of a tour guide at Cerro Tres Picos stood out. During a night excursion where the weather deteriorated drastically—bringing rain and wind—a luminous phenomenon guided the group to a natural shelter.

 "This speaks to the intelligence we refer to; it is not simply something like a balloon carried by the wind, but rather something that possesses intent—and that is what we emphasize."

 Field methodology and equipment

While in the region, the team conducts night observations tailored to weather conditions. Paradoxically, cloudy days offer specific methodological advantages:

 "For us, cloudy days are interesting for observation precisely because of what we might see beneath the clouds—phenomena we can immediately rule out as being orbital or astronomical."

 Regarding technical equipment, the team uses binoculars and infrared viewers, and is considering the addition of a spectrograph (or spectrometer) developed by Santa María, an Argentine inventor based in Switzerland.

 "It is a device that measures the light source. If we point it at a household lightbulb, a streetlamp, or even the sun, it registers a specific signature... The goal is to try to capture light that defies classification. That is when we would be looking at something of extraordinary and unknown origin." 

Dissemination of Research Material

The team is currently working on organizing its archives—which include photographs, field records, and witness interviews—to make them available to the public. Updates regarding the group and its founders are shared via Hugo Daniel López’s social media channels and the *Escarabajo Cósmico* outreach channel.

 [With thanks to Marcelo Metayer]

Argentina: Extraterrestrials in Trevelin? Resident Claims Having Seen UFO in 1978

 Source: Diario Esquel (Argentina)

Date: October 6, 2026

Article by Mariano Romero Cuestas

Extraterrestrials in Trevelin? Resident Claims Having Seen UFO in 1978

Forty-eight years ago, *Diario Esquel* ran a sensational front-page story: the sighting of a 25-meter-long spacecraft. A local resident, a farmhand paralyzed by fear, and a police officer acting as a key witness were the central figures in this incredible close encounter on the road to the Futaleufú Dam—a case that sparked a debate about the possibility of extraterrestrial life.

Throughout its history, Esquel and the surrounding region has been the setting for curious events documented in the local press. Among these archives is a case from 1978, when a Trevelin resident claimed to have seen a UFO near his farm. The incident received prominent coverage in *Diario Esquel* and prompted the reporter of the time to offer a profound reflection on the possibility of extraterrestrial life.

The event took place nearby: on the road to the Futaleufú Dam, in the vicinity of Trevelin. The central figure was a local resident named Eilir Hughes, who claimed to have seen a strange, luminous disc on more than one occasion while heading to his farm.

The story was published on Wednesday, October 4, 1978, under the headline "New controversy surrounding THE APPEARANCE OF A UFO IN TREVELIN."

The original clippings are part of the *Diario Esquel* historical collection preserved in the Newspaper Archive of the Esquel Municipal Public Library—a resource that allows us to revisit various episodes of daily life in the region.

According to the newspaper report, Hughes was heading to his farm on the previous Saturday night (September 30). He was driving along the road to the Futaleufú Dam and was just meters away from the turnoff for the municipal nursery when, according to his account, a luminous object passed over his vehicle.

Hughes himself recounted the events to the journalist:

"It was around 11:00 PM as I was coming down this hill, and suddenly a luminous disc crossed over the cab of my pickup truck; I kept going," says Hughes, "and stopped right here, at the intersection where I always turn to go to the farm. I stood there watching as it settled about 50 meters away, hovering a meter above the ground without actually touching it."

The account even included a fairly precise description of the object: Hughes spoke of a disc between 20 and 25 meters in diameter that remained suspended about a meter off the ground and emitted lights of various colors, "like a rainbow."

Furthermore, in his report, Hughes stated that a farmhand working with him, named Roberto Ferreyra, had also witnessed the event. According to this account, Ferreyra "was very agitated" and terrified.

Hughes's story indicates that, after watching the object for a few minutes, he set off for Trevelin to file a report at the police station. He then recounted seeing "the saucer take flight" and follow them for two kilometers.

According to the news report, Hughes decided to return to Trevelin to file a report at the police station. As he told it, police officers returned with him to the spot where he had seen the object. Among them was Corporal Austin, who was explicitly mentioned in the article. Hughes recounted the events:

"Once I arrived at the police detachment, and as we were heading out here accompanied by the driver and some personnel, Corporal Austin saw the disc just as we did; it was moving away while changing color."

Thus, the episode—which had begun with the account of a local resident—came to include other names: Roberto Ferreyra, the farmhand who was with him that night, and Corporal Austin, as well as the driver and other members of the force mentioned in the article. These names were recorded in the pages of the newspaper, forever linked to that peculiar story.

Hughes’s account also mentioned a second sighting. On the night of Sunday, October 1, while returning to the farm with his wife, he saw the object again. This time, according to his story, the disc did not stop; it turned and moved away.

The resident even told the newspaper he intended to return to the site to try to get a photograph. The article appeared at a time when UFOs already held a significant place in popular culture and the conversations of the day.

The *Diario Esquel* journalist did not limit himself to simply reporting the testimony. Following the account of the incident, he included an extensive reflection titled "Truths and Lies About UFOs."

The text argued for the need to view these phenomena with a degree of detachment and questioned both those who categorically claimed the existence of extraterrestrial beings, as well as those who denied it without analyzing the available arguments.

In that context, the article also referred to the impact that certain film productions of the time—such as *Star Wars* and *Close Encounters of the Third Kind*—were having.

Both films were part of a cultural phenomenon that defined those years. Interest in space, extraterrestrials, and the possibility of contact with other civilizations had made a strong impression on cinema and everyday conversation alike.

The article proposed a stance it described as more "realistic and balanced," noting that accounts regarding flying saucers should be considered in light of available data.

To support this line of reasoning, it cited figures regarding the number of stars and planets that might exist in the Milky Way and posed a question that ultimately went beyond the specific incident in Trevelin.

The piece concluded with thoughts on the possibility of life existing beyond Earth, suggesting an approach to the UFO phenomenon that—in the words of the text itself—was "a bit more objective and realistic."

In October 1978, according to Eilir Hughes, a mysterious object appeared over the road leading to the Futaleufú Dam. Roberto Ferreyra, Corporal Austin, and other police officers were also cited as witnesses to the sighting. *Diario Esquel* documented the entire event.

Almost half a century later, it is impossible to know exactly what they witnessed, and the explanation remains an enigma. Nevertheless, the historical record allows us to reconstruct the episode today. After all, the history of Esquel and the region is not composed solely of major events; it also lives on in those curious news stories that once filled the newspaper's pages and, with the passage of time, were preserved in the archives.

[Translation ©2026 Inexplicata, special thanks to Gloria Raquel]

1973: "Something Strange is Happening in the Monterrey Sky"

 

[The 1973 UFO wave in the United States was also felt south of the border, as this item from Santiago García's "Ovnis en México" shows us - SC] 

1973 "Something Strange Is Happening in the Monterrey Sky"

 El Norte newspaper, Monterrey. Monterrey, September 7, 1973 – Many Monterrey residents have reported to *El Norte* that something strange is happening in the skies over the city, particularly regarding events on the previous Wednesday night.

Some suggest that these seemingly strange phenomena are actually man-made objects that appear unusual when flying through the dark sky.

Others claim they are airplanes, noting that the incident on Wednesday night involved a plane crashing into a hill, which caused a brilliant flash of light.

Still others speak of UFOs.

There is also talk that these are merely astronomical phenomena, and that what is being seen—and what has been seen—over Monterrey is simply the appearance of a celestial body.

In short, everyone agrees that something strange occurred on Wednesday night, when an object emitting intense light and moving at extraordinary speed was spotted in the Monterrey sky.

Mr. Antonio Cantú, a resident of the El Roble neighborhood, reported seeing a luminous object over one of the peaks of Cerro de las Mitras on Wednesday night; it would hover in mid-air and then move at extraordinary speed. He added that his neighborhood subsequently filled with a certain mist or smoke, which he initially attributed to the takeoff or landing of an airplane.

He stated that this occurred around 9:30 p.m. on Wednesday.

A woman residing in the Las Fuentes neighborhood, who wished to remain anonymous, reported seeing a burst of lights in the Monterrey sky that same Wednesday night—resembling a meteor shower—which emitted an intense glow and moved at high speed.

Meanwhile, Mr. José Lara Valdés, a resident of the San José neighborhood, reported that he... ...also saw a strange object that settled over the peaks of Cerro de las Mitras during the night.

He noted that it was a bright object emitting an intense light; it remained suspended before moving off at high speed.

Additionally, Mr. Alberto Taboada came to our newsroom to report that he, too, had witnessed an unusual event on Wednesday night.

Taboada stated that he was driving along the Laredo-Monterrey highway toward the latter city; upon reaching Sabinas, an intense light completely illuminated his car. He added that, as he was already close to Sabinas, he drove to a gas station at the town's entrance—owned by Mr. Mario Ancira.

Together, they observed the situation and saw a series of luminous objects moving from north to south, heading toward Monterrey.

Argentina: Zone 72 - The Mysterious Site in La Plata Where UFO Reports Multiplied

 

Source: Punto Capital Noticias (Argentina)

Date: October 1, 2026

 Zone 72: The Mysterious Site in La Plata Where UFO Reports Multiplied

 Between 10th and 20th Streets, along 72nd Avenue and just meters from the historic Meridiano V neighborhood, lies a stretch of land that has fueled one of La Plata’s most distinctive urban legends for decades. Sightings, strange lights, small objects, and mysterious marks on the grass are all part of a story that local ufologists began investigating in the mid-20th century. As the month of Halloween begins, Punto Capital Noticias presents a series of special features on mysteries, legends, and terrifying episodes linked to the city; this is the first installment.

 La Plata has its own stories capable of fueling a night of conversation among neighbors. Some originated around old buildings, others were passed down through generations, and some found the perfect setting in the sky to become legends. Among the latter, one name still sparks curiosity: Zone 72.

 The site is located on 72nd Avenue, in an area that various investigations and publications place roughly between 10th and 20th Streets—on the southern edge of the city center and very close to the Meridiano V neighborhood. Since the mid-1950s, accounts have accumulated there from people claiming to have seen unidentified objects or lights.

 La Plata Has Its Own "Uritorco"

Over the years, these accounts have built a sort of map of La Plata’s mysteries. The area began to be cited by UFO researchers, local media, and residents who claimed to have witnessed strange events. For the Argentine UFO Foundation (FAO), the sector became a point of interest due to the recurring nature of the testimonies. 1954: The strange object that appeared near a group of young people

One of the earliest incidents associated with "Zone 72" dates back to 1954, the year that marks the beginning of this unique story. According to an account gathered by FAO researchers, a group of young people reportedly spotted a small, white object that hovered briefly in the vicinity of the area.

 Reconstructions indicate that the device was small and—after appearing to be resting on the ground—rose up and sped away toward the west. Over time, researchers studying the phenomenon described it as a type of "probe" based on its characteristics.

 This was not an isolated incident. For researchers who tracked the area's history in the following decades, that alleged sighting was the first in a series of accounts that would eventually make Avenue 72 one of the locations in La Plata most closely associated with UFO activity.

 However, there is no independent evidence to determine exactly what the object was. What remains on record are the eyewitness accounts and subsequent reconstructions carried out by researchers of the phenomenon.

 1957: Another tiny object and a new story

Three years later, another account with similar characteristics emerged. In the winter of 1957, a local resident named Juan Maldonado reportedly spotted a small object near a cane field at the intersection of 9th and 74th Streets—not far from the site of the previous incident—at around 8:00 a.m.

 The description is striking: according to the testimony collected by the FAO, the device was approximately 40 centimeters in diameter, with an appearance the witness likened to a centerpiece covered in frost.

 The account states that Maldonado began to approach the object slowly, but upon sensing his proximity, the object reportedly gained altitude and vanished rapidly. The resemblance to the 1954 incident fueled the idea that this was not an isolated event, but rather a series of phenomena concentrated in a very small area of ​​the city.

 Lights, pyramidal objects, and other incidents

Over the decades, the list of stories linked to "Zone 72" grew. Accounts cited by local media and FAO researchers include a luminous, metallic object that reportedly moved slowly in a vertical direction in 1985, and—three years later—the alleged passage of a silent, gray, pyramidal object.

 In the 1988 case, the story incorporated an element that would become a hallmark of the legend: a few days after the alleged sighting, researchers discovered a circular mark in the grass. According to published accounts, the mark was approximately four meters in diameter and had a greenish hue.

The mysterious circular marks on the grass

The traces constitute one of the best-known chapters in the history of Zone 72. According to researchers linked to the FAO, around twenty circular marks were detected in 1999 on the ground located in the vicinity of 72nd Avenue.

Researcher Luis Burgos recounted years later that the marks appeared in a busy section of the avenue's central median—a detail that particularly drew the attention of those studying the alleged phenomena. Some showed dried-out grass, while others were described as having hues that differed from the surrounding terrain.

In the field of ufology, these traces were incorporated into the site's body of case studies. However, their origin was never proven to be the result of a spacecraft landing. This is precisely where a distinction arises between the journalistic account of Zone 72 and ufological interpretations: while records and testimonies regarding the marks exist, there is no scientific explanation confirming they were produced by extraterrestrial objects.

The 2007 snowfall and the green flashes

The story gained another peculiar episode on July 9, 2007, during the historic snowfall that blanketed much of La Plata. According to their accounts, some local residents claimed to have seen strange green flashes over the 72nd Avenue median.

The unique aspect of the story lay in the context. The city was experiencing an extraordinary weather event, and amidst the snow and unusual visibility conditions, accounts emerged regarding lights that some residents immediately linked to the history of "Zone 72."

As with other episodes, there is no evidence confirming an extraterrestrial origin for these lights. However, the story became part of the area's informal lore, reigniting a question that has persisted for decades: why do so many different stories seem to converge on this specific area?

The "energy corridor" theory

One of the most striking explanations emerged from within the field of ufology itself. Luis Burgos, a leading figure at the Argentine Ufology Foundation, noted that one hypothesis regarding the concentration of these phenomena relates to the old railway lines running through the area.

For researchers who support this view, the tracks might act as a sort of corridor linked to the recurrence of these phenomena. This explanation is a ufological hypothesis rather than a scientifically proven theory regarding an energy source connected to UFO activity.

The link to the railway, however, makes clear geographical sense: Zone 72 is closely tied to the historic setting of the Meridiano V station. In fact, the current Meridiano V Historic-Cultural District encompasses part of 72nd Avenue and the streets surrounding the old railway complex.

Thus, the old tracks became part of the lore surrounding Zone 72, offering a potential explanation for the cluster of accounts that—dating back to the 1950s—have repeatedly emerged from this relatively small area.

From UFOs to new local legends

The advent of the Internet and social media did not cause the myth to vanish; on the contrary, it found new ways to spread. In 2019, for instance, the story of a student who claimed to have had a strange experience during a stormy night near the intersection of 19th and 72nd Streets made the rounds.

The account involved a cat, a powerful lightning strike, and a series of events that the individual linked to "Zone 72." The story quickly spread across social media, sparking new amateur investigations into the alleged phenomenon.

That episode illustrates how the legend has evolved over time. It is no longer just about flying saucers and lights in the sky; Zone 72 has become a setting where new stories, testimonies, and personal experiences can be incorporated.

Some studies even suggest that part of the contemporary narrative surrounding the area took on the characteristics of a transmedia experience, with stories circulating across various platforms and feeding into one another.

Mystery, coincidence, or urban legend?

Zone 72 exists both as a physical location and as a cultural phenomenon in La Plata. What remains open to interpretation is the nature of the events associated with it over the decades.

From the perspective of ufology, the succession of testimonies constitutes a body of cases worthy of investigation. From a more skeptical viewpoint, the accounts can be attributed to atmospheric phenomena, errors in perception, hard-to-identify conventional objects, or simply the gradual construction of an urban legend.

The fact remains that the story has endured for generations. From the small object described in the 1950s to the lights spotted during the 2007 snowfall and the tales that later circulated on social media, 72nd Avenue holds a special place in the collective imagination of La Plata.

And perhaps that is the true uniqueness of "Zone 72": there is no need to solve the mystery for it to remain part of the city's identity.

[Translation © 2026 Inexplicata with thanks to Gloria Raquel and Punto Capital Noticias]