Overview
A commercial pilot from Colombia captured a high‑altitude encounter while cruising at 12,500 feet over the Andean region on 10 February 2026. The pilot’s handheld video, posted to social‑media platforms later that week, has been described by the aviator as the “best UFO footage ever.” An independent forensic review released on 11 February confirmed that the recording is unaltered and authentic, and that the observed object cannot be readily identified as any known aircraft or conventional aerial phenomenon.
Flight Details
The pilot, who requested anonymity for safety reasons, was operating a twin‑engine turboprop on a routine cargo run between Bogotá and Medellín. According to the flight log, the aircraft maintained a steady altitude of 12,500 ft and a cruising speed of approximately 300 knots when the encounter occurred. The pilot reported clear weather, a stable horizon, and no other traffic in the vicinity. “I was looking out the left window when I saw a bright, disc‑shaped object moving erratically, far beyond the speed of any aircraft I’ve ever flown,” the pilot told investigators. The encounter lasted roughly 15 seconds before the object accelerated away and disappeared from view.
Video Evidence
The footage, recorded on a GoPro‑style action camera mounted on the cockpit window, shows a luminous, oval object with a faint halo of light. The video includes a continuous timestamp and GPS metadata embedded in the file, indicating the exact altitude, latitude, and longitude at the moment of recording. The pilot’s commentary, captured on the device’s microphone, provides a real‑time description of the object’s motion: “It’s hovering, then it darts to the right, then it’s gone.” No other aircraft, ground lights, or weather phenomena are visible in the background, and the horizon remains steady throughout.
Independent Verification
A team of video‑forensic specialists from the UFO Evidence Research Group (UERG) conducted a multi‑stage analysis. Their methodology included:
- Extraction of raw metadata to confirm the camera’s make, model, and timestamp integrity.
- Frame‑by‑frame examination for signs of digital manipulation, compression artifacts, or splice points.
- Cross‑referencing the recorded GPS coordinates with air‑traffic control logs, which showed no other flights in the 10‑nm radius at the recorded time.
UERG’s report, released on 11 February, concluded that the video is genuine and unedited. The experts ruled out common explanations such as drones, balloons, or known military aircraft, noting that the object’s acceleration and maneuverability exceeded the performance envelope of any documented platform. “While we cannot definitively label the phenomenon, the evidence eliminates a hoax or conventional aircraft scenario,” said Dr. Elena Martínez, lead analyst at UERG.
Implications and Next Steps
The confirmed authenticity of this high‑altitude encounter adds to a growing catalog of credible aerial observations reported by trained pilots. Aviation authorities in Colombia have opened a preliminary inquiry to determine whether the sighting poses any safety concerns for commercial airspace. Meanwhile, the pilot’s video has been submitted to the U.S. Department of Defense’s Unidentified Aerial Phenomena (UAP) Task Force for inclusion in its ongoing data set.
Experts caution that, despite the compelling nature of the footage, further data—such as radar signatures, multiple observer reports, or additional sensor recordings—are needed before drawing substantive conclusions about the object's origin. As the investigation proceeds, the aviation community watches closely, reminded that rigorous, transparent analysis remains the cornerstone of credible UAP research.
