Project 10073 Record Card — Sighting by SS Esso Lima, 3 December 1962

On 3 December 1962, at 0345Z, the merchant vessel SS Esso Lima reported a sighting of an Unidentified Flying Object (UFO) while located at coordinates 25.5N, 85.4W in the Gulf of Mexico. The report was transmitted via the CIRVIS (Communication Instructions for Reporting Vital Intelligence Sightings) system. The object was described as a possible rocket, characterized by a bright vapor trail that was observed shooting upward. Initial observations placed the object at a bearing of 345 degrees and an elevation of 15 degrees above the horizon. The object was subsequently observed to disappear at a bearing of 338 degrees and an elevation of 30 degrees. The report noted an apparent increase in the object's elevation during the observation. The duration of the sighting was not reported, and there was no information provided regarding changes in intensity or direction. The incident was documented on a Project 10073 record card and disseminated through multiple military channels, including CINCNORAD, the Air Force, and various naval commands. Following an evaluation by the Air Technical Intelligence Center (ATIC), the case was officially classified as having insufficient data for a definitive evaluation.