On September 4, 1971, a day etched in ufology history, one of the most compelling and enigmatic aerial photographs of an unidentified flying object was captured. On that day, aboard a twin-engine Aero Commander F680 aircraft, a team from Costa Rica's National Geographic Institute conducted an aerial mapping mission to study the potential impact of a hydroelectric project near the Arenal volcano in the country's northern highlands.
At an altitude of 10,000 feet, aerial photographer Sergio Loaiza activated an automated mapping camera weighing around 100 pounds. The device took high-resolution black-and-white photographs at regular 20-second intervals, capturing vast stretches of water and tropical forest below. Everything seemed to proceed as planned until one particular image caught the analysts' attention.
Upon examining the photographs, one image stood out due to the presence of a metallic, disk-shaped object seemingly hovering above Lake Cote. The object, often described as a "classic flying saucer," appeared clearly in the image, with sharp contours and a reflective surface suggesting a smooth metallic finish.
Unlike many other UFO sighting cases, this image carries significant credibility. The camera used was professional-grade, the flight conditions were stable, and the image was captured automatically, ruling out any possibility of human manipulation during the shot.
Experts in photography and image analysis have since examined the photo, and no signs of tampering or alteration have been detected. The object does not seem to correspond to an airplane, a bird, or any common photographic artifact.
Ariel340, Attribution, https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Cote_ufo.jpg
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