★Historically significant

A 1963 State Department diplomatic cable documenting an official U.S. and Brazilian government investigation into a reported UFO crash in Bahia, Brazil, coordinated between the Embassy, Consulate, Air Force, NASA, and the Brazilian Ministry of Aeronautics, representing an early example of formal interagency UAP reporting in Latin America.

DOS-UAP-D002, Diplomatic Cable, Brazil, November 20, 1963

Department of StatePDFCableUNCLASSIFIEDNo redactionsPURSUE Release 5

3/10

niche or mildly interesting

UAP Insight significance score

Location: Bahia, Brazil
Incident date: 11/20/63
Witnesses: Witness unknown
Released: August 7, 2026

Evidence Types

Testimony

Official Conclusion

Story of strange object apparently fabricated; no sighting verified; Brazilian Ministry of Aeronautics categorically denies any strange object in Conde.

Official Description

This document is a U.S. Department of State diplomatic cable from the U.S. Embassy in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil to the Office of the Secretary of State in Washington, D.C., on November 20, 1963. This cable relays the findings of the scientific attaché at the American Consulate in Salvador, Bahia, Brazil, that a widely reported incident allegedly involving a crashed unidentified object was unsubstantiated, characterizing the reports as a fabrication originating in Rio de Janeiro. The Consulate cites a lack of contemporary local reporting regarding the alleged incident, as well as contradictory reporting from local newspapers after the fact, as evidence that the published claims are unsubstantiated. The Consulate also cites a statement from the Brazilian Ministry of Aeronautics categorically denying that there was “any “strange object” in Conde [Bahia].” This correspondence follows a previous exchange between the Embassy and the Department of State, included in this collection under the title “DOS-UAP-D001.”

Key Findings

→Consul Harold Midkiff concluded the story of a strange object descending in the Conde, Bahia region was 'apparently fabricated in Rio' with no objects seen by anyone in the area.
→Newspaper reporters and others who rushed to the scene before investigation reports were received found no evidence of any strange object.
→The Brazilian Ministry of Aeronautics categorically denied that there was any 'strange object' in Conde, Bahia.
→The Secretary of Public Security speculated the object might have been a weather balloon, but no sighting was verified.
→Two Salvadoran newspaper clippings (Diario de Noticias, November 9, and Jornal da Bahia, November 11) corroborated the negative findings, with one article titled 'The Airship that wasn't there'.

UAP Insight Analysis— AI generated, not official

This is a U.S. Department of State Airgram (A-628) dated November 20, 1963, from the American Embassy in Rio de Janeiro to the Department of State, relaying a negative/debunking report on a UFO allegedly sighted near Salvador, Bahia, Brazil on November 8, 1964. The Consul in Salvador, Harold Midkiff, reported that the story of a strange object descending in the Conde, Bahia region appeared to be fabricated, with no witnesses and contradictory Brazilian press coverage.

Analyst Notes

This document is explicitly a negative/debunking report — the alleged UFO sighting was found to be unsubstantiated. No witnesses were located, Brazilian press found nothing at the scene, and the Brazilian Ministry of Aeronautics categorically denied any strange object. The report characterizes the story as a fabrication originating in Rio de Janeiro. Evidential value for UAP research is minimal; this document is notable primarily as an official denial.

Extracted Entities

People

Harold Midkiff (Consul in Salvador)André C. Simonpietri (Scientific Attaché)RDKalbCCCarsonJohn Gordon Mein

Agencies & Organizations

U.S. Department of StateAmerican Embassy Rio de JaneiroAmerican Consulate SalvadorU.S. Air Force (Defense)NASABrazilian Ministry of Aeronautics

Locations

Salvador, Bahia, BrazilConde, Bahia, BrazilRio de Janeiro, Brazil

Aircraft & Objects

Strange object reportedly descending in region of Conde, BahiaPossible weather balloon (speculated, unverified)

Dates

November 8, 1964 (subject line date, likely a typo for 1963)November 14, 1963 (Embtel 94 and telegram No. 157)November 20, 1963 (date of Airgram)November 9, 1963 (Diario de Noticias clipping)November 11, 1963 (Jornal da Bahia clipping)November 26, 1963 (received stamp)

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AI analysis by claude-sonnet-4-6 · September 5, 2026