Report of Investigation: Unidentified Flying Object, Volcano Fuego, Guatemala, 17 January 1953

This report details an investigation into an Unidentified Flying Object sighting that occurred on 17 January 1953, near Volcano Fuego in Guatemala. The primary witness, a U.S. citizen and zoologist, was traveling on a bus when he observed a brilliant greenish-gold, oblate-shaped object. He estimated the object to be approximately twice the size of a DC-3 aircraft, traveling at an altitude of 6,500 feet with an estimated speed of 400 miles per hour. According to the witness, the object performed a series of maneuvers: it proceeded in a northwesterly direction, almost stopped, rose vertically by 1,500 feet, hovered for approximately two seconds, and then resumed horizontal flight at the new altitude before disappearing behind mountains. The witness, who was familiar with aircraft, noted that the object appeared symmetrical and resembled a 100-year-old blimp, lacking visible elevators or rudders. The weather conditions at the time were described as bright sunlight with unlimited visibility and no clouds. The investigator, Special Agent Henry M. Langlois of the 2D OSI District, interviewed the witness at the Savoy Plaza Hotel in New York on 5 February 1953. The witness provided a sketch and a map of the sighting location. A second passenger on the bus also reportedly saw the object for four to five seconds. The report notes that there was no other air traffic in the area at the time and that the possibility of the object being a conventional aircraft was deemed not feasible due to its hovering behavior. The official conclusion of the report is that the object remains 'Unknown (UNIDENTIFIED)'. The document includes enclosures consisting of the witness's sketch and a road map of the area.