Relatório sobre o Incidente com o Navio Rebocador CAIOBA SEAHORSE

This document is a formal report from the Brazilian Ministry of Aeronautics regarding an incident on July 27, 1980, involving the tugboat CAIOBA SEAHORSE. The crew reported sighting an unidentified, intensely illuminated object near Touros, Rio Grande do Norte. The report compiles testimonies from the crew of the CAIOBA SEAHORSE and the nearby vessel TECHE SEAHORSE. The witnesses described a white, oval-shaped object that appeared to hover near the bow of the CAIOBA SEAHORSE before moving to the starboard side and eventually departing rapidly. The commander of the CAIOBA SEAHORSE, who was suffering from severe food poisoning at the time, believed the object to be a 'flying saucer' and ordered a report to be sent to Natal Radio. The investigation, led by Ten Cel Av Francisco José Rennemann Filho, analyzed the testimonies, radar data, and meteorological conditions. It concluded that the sightings were likely misidentifications of a conventional vessel. The report highlights significant inconsistencies in the crew's accounts, particularly regarding the object's behavior, position, and the timing of the events. The investigator suggests that the commander's illness and the crew's lack of technical training contributed to the misinterpretation of the visual phenomena. The report ultimately dismisses the possibility of an unidentified aerial vehicle, attributing the incident to a conventional boat and the psychological state of the witnesses.