Brazil - Navy - Flying Saucer Photographed from ALMIRANTE SALDANHA

This document is an Office of Naval Intelligence report regarding a series of photographs taken on January 16, 1958, by a freelance photographer named Almiro Barauna aboard the Brazilian naval ship ALMIRANTE SALDANHA near Trindade Island. The photographs, which depicted a disc-shaped object, were published in Rio de Janeiro newspapers on February 21, 1958, causing significant public and media interest. The report details the Brazilian Navy's initial refusal to make an official statement, followed by a later statement claiming the incident had no basis and that the photographs did not constitute sufficient proof. The reporting officer, M. Sunderland, provides a critical assessment, suggesting two primary explanations: either the Brazilian Navy was under orders not to verify the incident, or the entire event was a hoax orchestrated by Barauna, whom the report identifies as a professional photographer known for trick photography. The report notes that the photographs were reviewed by the Air Force and deemed a 'trick' due to the lack of shadow, hazy contrast, and the fact that the object appeared inverted in one of the images. Furthermore, the report highlights that no crew members of the ALMIRANTE SALDANHA, including the commanding officer, reported seeing the object, and that the photographer was left alone in a darkroom to develop the negatives. The document concludes that the sighting is carried as a 'trick' in Air Force files and suggests that the incident was likely a publicity stunt fueled by sensationalism and bureaucratic inefficiency.