San Rafael: Cigar-shaped object crash
In January 1965, a cigar-shaped object reportedly fell near San Miguel, close to San Rafael in Mendoza, Argentina. Provincial authorities flew over the site, photographed the glowing, half-buried craft, and it was recovered by the Air Force.
Background
Incident
In January 1965 a puzzling object came down near the village of San Miguel, about 4 kilometres from San Rafael in Mendoza Province, Argentina. It was a cigar-shaped form roughly 8 metres long and about 1 metre in diameter, glowing bright white and partly embedded in the ground.
Investigation and Evidence
The provincial government sent a Cessna to the site, where the object was found and photographed several times. Local reports mention small figures in phosphorescent suits nearby, resembling diving suits. The object was handed to air force personnel in Mendoza and taken on to the Comisión Nacional de Investigaciones Espaciales in Buenos Aires.
Sources and Significance
The information comes from Charles Bowen in Flying Saucer Review (May/June 1965) and from Jerome Clark. The event is regarded as a rare crash case with physical evidence and official involvement, which makes it notable in UAP chronologies.