From the memory of the first unexplained lights of the fifties to declassified military files, Lanzarote preserves a history of observations, testimonies, and unanswered questions. A documentary journey for October 21st that distinguishes between recorded facts and what has not yet been proven.
Long before unidentified flying objects occupied space in documentaries and debates about the possible existence of extraterrestrial life, the skies of Lanzarote were already the scene of observations that aroused the curiosity of its inhabitants. Over several decades, luminous bodies, flashes of color, and glows were described, whose behavior was difficult to explain for those who claimed to have witnessed them.
The accounts place some episodes over Arrecife, others near Playa Blanca, and several at sea, during fishing trips or journeys between islands. Over time, certain cases also reached the military sphere and led to official files. However, not all episodes have the same documentary support nor can they be considered equally verified.
The island's UFO history therefore requires separating three issues: what witnesses said they saw, what documentation is preserved, and what explanations can be supported with the available evidence. That a phenomenon has not been identified does not mean it has an extraordinary origin, but it also does not allow us to dismiss without investigation what those who observed it described.
The first accounts: spheroidal objects over Arrecife
On May 2, 1956, several people reportedly observed five bodies of spheroidal configuration and intense color crossing the sky of Arrecife. The episode reportedly occurred around eight in the morning and lasted a little over two minutes.
Three years later, on September 30, 1959, another observation was recorded. Dockworkers and some vacationers who were at the Caseta de El Cable reportedly saw a luminous spheroidal-shaped object that moved slowly across the sky for about thirteen seconds.
Both accounts are part of the earliest known references to unidentified aerial phenomena in Lanzarote. Their interest lies in that they allow these stories to be placed in the island's memory from the mid-20th century, when scientific explanations and information available to the public were very different from today's.
However, the description of an unusual light or object is not enough to determine its nature. Without direct examination of the original testimonies, verification of the circumstances, and possible identification of astronomical or aeronautical phenomena, it is not possible to establish what those people actually observed.
April 1962: a light that crossed the sky for half an hour
On April 11, 1962, around 12:30 PM, a large luminous object was reportedly observed from different points in Arrecife. The preserved description speaks of a white glow that took approximately half an hour to cross the sky. Among the people who supposedly witnessed it were a municipal guard and several taxi drivers.
One of the interpretations put forward at the time was that it could be an American or Soviet artificial satellite, in the context of the space race. However, there is no confirmed identification that allows the case to be closed.
The duration attributed to the observation is particularly striking and raises questions that only a rigorous reconstruction could help resolve. It would be necessary to know with greater precision the apparent trajectory, the direction of movement, the atmospheric conditions, and the position from which each observation was made.
Comparing this data with the astronomical and space records available for the date could help evaluate possible explanations. Until such verification is available, the episode must remain in the realm of historical testimonies, without turning a hypothesis into a conclusion.
October 1967: two observations from the sea
On October 6, 1967, two observations of strange lights were reportedly made from boats linked to Lanzarote's fishing activity. One was attributed to the occupants of a felucca off the port of La Caleta; the other, to the crew of the motor fishing boat Josefa Santos, based in Arrecife.
Among the testimonies attributed to this episode is that of the fisherman Aureliano Negrín Armas, who reportedly described a luminous beam and a twinkling light that seemed to descend rapidly towards the sea. For his part, the captain Luis Toledo Betancor reportedly observed, about fifteen miles off the coast, a flashing red light that approached the surface, continued to move, and then rose again.
The temporal coincidence has led to the suggestion that both observations could correspond to the same phenomenon. If that had been the case, having observers located in different places could have allowed for the reconstruction of its trajectory and comparison of the descriptions.
But that possibility needs proof. To establish a connection, it would be necessary to compare the original testimonies, reconstruct the times and positions of the vessels, determine the directions of observation, and examine the meteorological conditions of that night.
The existence of two accounts close in time is interesting, although it does not in itself prove that the witnesses saw the same object. The names and specific details of the episode must remain subject to verification until the original documentation is located and contrasted.
September 1968: accounts between Playa Blanca and Los Ajaches
On September 7, 1968, a group of people who were on the terrace of the Bikini establishment, in Playa Blanca, reportedly observed a luminous object moving towards the southwest. Among the witnesses cited in the reconstructions of the case is Orlando Medina Castañeyra. The description included flashes at the ends and vertices of the figure.
That same day, another observation is placed, attributed to Manuel Torres Martín, a retired coastal skipper. According to his testimony, he reportedly followed an oval light with binoculars from his home for approximately one hour, between 7:30 PM and 8:30 PM. He also claimed to have seen it descend towards the Los Ajaches massif.
The temporal and geographical proximity of both accounts invites speculation about whether there could have been a relationship between them. However, there is not enough basis to claim that they described the same object. The differences between the observations, the attributed trajectories, and the lack of a common reconstruction prevent drawing that conclusion.
A more complete investigation would have to verify the hours, places, and movements described, in addition to locating the original testimonies or complementary documentation. Only then would it be possible to assess whether there are significant coincidences or if they are two independent observations.
January 1969: a luminosity near the Sun's position
On January 27, 1969, workers at the Arrecife water treatment plant reportedly observed an intense luminosity in the sky. The account attributed to Julián Martín Rodríguez places the beginning of the observation around 08:15. The light reportedly reached its peak intensity around 08:30 and disappeared approximately at 08:40, moving slowly upwards. Other workers also reportedly witnessed the phenomenon.
The description speaks of a white glow and a halo similar to a rainbow. Among the interpretations proposed, possibilities such as a meteorite or an artificial object were mentioned, but none can be considered a confirmed scientific identification.
As it was a daytime observation, any analysis should take into account the position of the Sun, cloud cover, atmospheric optical effects, and possible reflections. It would also be necessary to specify the direction and apparent speed of the movement, as well as to check if there are records that allow the episode to be linked to any known phenomenon.
Recovering the original source would help determine what information was collected at the time and to what extent it allows for the evaluation of these hypotheses. The times and the witness's name must be kept as data attributed to the historical account until this verification is completed.
November 1976: a military file on a phenomenon in the Canary Islands
On November 19, 1976, one of the best-known episodes in the ufological history of the archipelago was recorded in the Canary Islands. Among the disclosed testimonies is the one attributed to General Carlos Dolz de Espejo y González de la Riva, who held a position of responsibility in the Canary Islands Air Zone and reportedly traveled from Lanzarote to Gran Canaria aboard a C-212 Aviocar aircraft.
The reconstructions of the episode describe a luminosity whose apparent size increased and which came to present a shape similar to a halo. Accounts attributed to other aircrews and maritime observers have also been disseminated. It is important, however, to distinguish between the descriptions made by witnesses and the data expressly contained in the official documentation.
The Virtual Library of Defense preserves a file titled "Sighting of strange phenomena in the Canary Islands: November 19, 1976," prepared by the Air Operational Command, General Staff, Intelligence Section. The catalog identifies a 91-page document, declassified on September 16, 1994.
The preservation of this file provides a relevant documentary basis for studying the episode. It does not mean, however, that all associated testimonies have been confirmed or that the phenomenon received a definitive explanation.
Among the hypotheses proposed by researchers is the possibility that some observations were related to ballistic missile launches and the luminous effects produced at high altitude. To assess this explanation, it would be necessary to cross-reference times, positions, trajectories, and aerospace documentation, without assuming beforehand that it can explain all testimonies.
The connection of this case with Lanzarote is established, among other elements, by the described flight. It is important to distinguish between the place from which a phenomenon is observed and the place where it occurs: that a person observed it from an aircraft departing from the island does not necessarily mean that the object was located over Lanzarote territory.
February 1985: an official file on Playa Blanca
On February 12, 1985, one of the episodes most directly linked to specific military documentation from Lanzarote occurred. The Ministry of Defense preserves a file titled "Sighting of strange phenomena in Lanzarote," prepared by the Air Operational Command, General Staff, Intelligence Section.
According to known reconstructions of the case, agents of the Local Police of Yaiza reported to the Guacimeta control tower, at 21:10, the observation of a luminous object over Playa Blanca. The tower would have relayed the alert to the commander of flight 279, which covered the route between Lanzarote and Gran Canaria. The crew would have confirmed having seen the object.
One of the most striking aspects of the available information is the absence of a complete investigation report among the preserved documents. It has been pointed out that part of the documentation was not included in the file and that only two documents related to the communication of the sighting and the appointment of an investigating judge appeared.
The issue deserves documentary clarification. What inquiries were carried out? Were the agents and crew interviewed? Were the weather conditions and air operations checked? Were conclusions reached that do not appear in the preserved documentation?
These are legitimate questions, but they must be asked without anticipating answers. The absence of part of the documents does not prove that a ship was hidden or that the phenomenon had an extraordinary origin. It does justify delving deeper into the file and finding out what information is preserved, what actions were taken, and whether it is possible to reconstruct the investigation's conclusions.
Military documentation allows us to verify that an official record related to the episode existed. The identification of what the witnesses observed is a separate matter, which requires evidence and specific analysis.
December 1985: a light observed from the Manuel Soto
On December 23, 1985, another episode of interest was recorded during the maritime route between Las Palmas de Gran Canaria and Arrecife. The third officer of the ship Manuel Soto, from the company Trasmediterránea, reportedly observed a light around 03:10 that he initially mistook for the star Antares.
After checking its position, he ruled out that first interpretation. According to the disclosed account, the light then moved towards the ship and presented several luminous points. Three other crew members also reportedly observed the phenomenon.
The existence of multiple witnesses is a relevant fact, although it is not enough to identify what they saw. The exact position of the ship, the horizon conditions, the orientation of the observation, and the astronomical verification of the initial interpretation are elements that could help evaluate possible explanations.
The Virtual Library of Defense preserves the file "Sighting of strange phenomena in the Canary Islands from the ship 'Manuel Soto': December 23, 1985." According to known reconstructions of the case, the investigations did not confirm the sighting of a UFO on the indicated date.
This conclusion must be interpreted precisely: the phenomenon could not be verified or identified through the research carried out. This does not demonstrate that the witnesses did not see any light, just as the testimony of an observation does not allow us to conclude that it was an object of unknown origin in an extraordinary sense.
The case once again highlights the difference between recording an observation, investigating its circumstances, and reaching a conclusive identification. These are distinct phases of the same investigation and should not be confused.
What the documentation allows us to affirm
The collected accounts describe spheroidal bodies, white lights, red flashes, and daylight glows observed from land, vessels, and aircraft. However, the episodes present different levels of documentation: some are known through historical chronologies and testimonies whose original source still needs to be cross-referenced; others have preserved military files.
This difference is fundamental. The existence of a news report or testimony allows us to confirm that an account circulated at a certain time, but it is not equivalent to an independent verification of what was observed. Similarly, the fact that a phenomenon has not been identified does not prove that it had an extraterrestrial origin.
Satellites, aircraft, meteors, atmospheric optical effects, and aerospace operations are explanations that can be examined when sufficient data exists. Each episode requires its own analysis, without forcing a common solution for observations that may have had different causes.
The pending investigation involves locating and consulting the original documents of the first cases, cross-referencing the testimonies from the sixties, and thoroughly examining the military files. In the case of 1985, it would also be important to clarify what happened to the documents that, according to available reconstructions, do not appear in the preserved file.
The documentary review does not necessarily have to lead to an extraordinary explanation. Its objective is to establish with the greatest possible precision what happened, what was recorded, what was investigated, and what aspects remain unanswered. This distinction is essential to avoid both credulity and precipitate rejection.
An insular story that deserves to be reconstructed
The history of UFOs in Lanzarote is not based on a single sighting or a definitive explanation. It is constructed from testimonies of workers, fishermen, crews, and other observers, along with documentation that allows us to trace some episodes.
Its main interest is not to demonstrate extraterrestrial visits —something for which the examined materials do not provide conclusive evidence— but to preserve a part of the island's memory and to pose questions that can be investigated through documentary methods.
The specific dates, the names of the witnesses, and the existence of official records offer starting points for continuing the work. But they also remind us of the limits of historical reconstruction: when original documents are missing or descriptions cannot be corroborated, it is necessary to acknowledge uncertainty rather than fill it with conjecture.
The memory of these sightings deserves to be preserved, but also to be examined. Distinguishing between what was told, what was recorded, and what can actually be proven is the only way to reconstruct this history with rigor, without turning unknowns into certainties.
Reference documentary sources
• Virtual Library of Defense. Sighting of strange phenomena in the Canary Islands: November 19, 1976. File of the Air Operational Command, 91 pages, declassified on September 16, 1994.
• Virtual Library of Defense. Sighting of strange phenomena in Lanzarote: February 12, 1985. Military file related to the sighting reported in Playa Blanca.
• Virtual Library of Defense. Sighting of strange phenomena in the Canary Islands from the ship "Manuel Soto": December 23, 1985. Seven-page file, declassified on February 1, 1996.
• Memory of Lanzarote. Historical chronologies that include references to episodes attributed to 1956, 1959, and 1962. The news items are related to numbers 157, 327, and 451 of the weekly newspaper Antena, published on May 8, 1956, October 6, 1959, and April 17, 1962, respectively. Direct comparison of the original copies remains necessary to complete the verification.
• Historical press and Canarian documentary compilations. Secondary references to episodes attributed to 1967, 1968, and 1969, pending contrast with original sources.
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