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In the context of the UFO phenomenon, not all unidentified flying objects are shaped like the classic flying saucers of 1950s science fiction movies or pulp UFO magazines from the 60s or 70s. Triangle-shaped UFOs – often black and flying silently across the sky – are seen by many people around the world every year. Although the first recorded sighting of mysterious dark triangles in the sky happened in 1897 during the great “airship wave” in the United States, the Mexican sightings have been more recent, dating only to the late 1990s.
Probably the most notable series of sightings of triangular UFOs in the skies over Mexico have been scrubbed from the entire internet, save some sites and channels like Mexico Unexplained. In Mexico Unexplained episode number 54 titled, “The Zone of Silence: Mexico’s Bermuda Triangle,” we talked about a diary of a missing park ranger named Héctor Álvarez who once worked in the mysterious Zone of Silence known formally as the Mapimí Biosphere Reserve. The reserve is a vast expanse of desert and is a UNESCO-designated protected area found near the intersections of three northern Mexican states: Durango, Chihuahua and Coahuila. In April of 2013 the ranger’s journals began appearing online, but they have since disappeared. The diary of Héctor Álvarez did not detail anything about the stark but beautiful natural landscape of the author’s workplace, rather, it was written, presumably, to document what the ranger was experiencing while working the graveyard shift at the reserve. According to the diary, Álvarez reported to his superiors what he had been experiencing, and they paid no attention to his reports so he decided to document things in his own handwritten accounts. The diary is full of strange encounters and unexplained occurrences. Álvarez wrote mostly of the unexplained lights he saw in the desert sky. While the park ranger saw his share of glowing orbs, he wrote most details about the flying colorful triangles he saw above the biosphere reserve. They measured about 6 feet across with colorful, prismatic borders that appeared to be on fire. The inside area of the triangles had shifting patterns of color that seemed to him to be an attempt at communication. Sometimes the triangles would appear alone or sometimes in groups of three. Álvarez tried taking photos of these flying triangles but each time he tried, his camera malfunctioned. The diary entries ended on March 15, 2013. This was the last day anyone saw Héctor Álvarez. It was a mystery as to where he went as his car was still in the parking lot of the main facility of the reserve. He was never seen again.
One of the earliest triangle UFO sightings in Mexico occurred in July of 1997. A group of four — a man, his father, his cousin, and a friend — had an extraordinary encounter while camping on a family farm in a remote area of the state of Guanajuato. Perched atop a high cliff, they were observing eagles soaring overhead with a camera at the ready to capture a close-up of the birds. Suddenly, a black, triangle-shaped object appeared among the eagles, catching their attention. In a fraction of a second, the object descended vertically at incredible speed, coming within 100 feet of their position on the left. Roughly the size of four cars, the craft moved silently, without a hint of sound. It glided from left to right for approximately six seconds before disappearing behind a cluster of trees. Shocked, the group considered pursuing it, but fear overcame their curiosity, prompting a swift retreat to their campsite and jeep. Though they couldn’t photograph the object, all four witnesses observed it clearly. The craft was a flat, black triangle with a textured surface marked by linear patterns. Five glowing hemispheres, resembling fiery lights, were positioned at each corner and the center. One of the witnesses later created a sketch to document the vivid details of the sighting, an image that remains etched in the group’s memory.
The next notable encounter with dark triangles in the sky occurred in November of 1998 in the rugged expanse of the northern part of the state of San Luis Potosí, 14 miles from the remote outpost of Estación Wadley. An extraordinary encounter unfolded under the vast desert sky. It was the second night of a five-day camping expedition, and two men, seasoned adventurers with a love of stargazing, settled into the stillness of the high desert after dusk. The air was crisp, the silence profound, broken only by the occasional rustle of nocturnal creatures. As they reclined against their gear, their eyes scanned the heavens, tracing constellations in the clear night sky. That’s when they noticed something peculiar: two unusually bright “stars” glimmering in the distance, far more radiant than the surrounding celestial tapestry. At first, the men thought little of it, assuming they were merely planets or particularly luminous stars. But then, without warning, the objects began to move—descending swiftly and silently toward their campsite with an eerie precision that sent a chill down their spines. These were no stars. As the objects drew closer, their true forms became chillingly apparent: massive, dark triangular craft, their outlines stark against the star-strewn sky. Each craft was an imposing, shadowy behemoth, their metallic hulls gleaming faintly under the moonlight, exuding an otherworldly aura. Encircling each triangle was a mesmerizing ring of lights, pulsating with every color of the rainbow: vibrant reds, blues, greens, and hues that seemed to defy earthly description, shimmering like a cosmic kaleidoscope. For no less than fifteen minutes, the colossal UFOs hovered directly overhead, motionless, as if studying the awestruck campers below. The men stood frozen, their hearts pounding, captivated by the sheer scale and surreal presence of the craft. The triangles were so close that the men could discern intricate details on their surfaces. They were smooth, dark, and unmistakably artificial, with a texture that suggested advanced engineering far beyond human capability. No sound emanated from the objects, only an uncanny silence that amplified the weight of the moment. Then, as abruptly as they had descended, the craft ascended vertically, retreating to their original positions in the sky, blending seamlessly back into the starfield as if they had never been there. Two nights later, the mysterious triangles returned, shattering any lingering doubts about the reality of the first encounter. This time, however, the UFOs did not merely hover. Instead, they performed an astonishing display of aerial acrobatics that defied the laws of physics. The craft darted across the sky with breathtaking speed, executing sharp, impossible turns and sudden stops that no conventional aircraft could achieve. Their rainbow-hued lights pulsed in rhythmic patterns, as if communicating in a language beyond human comprehension. For another fifteen minutes, the men watched, spellbound, as the triangles danced across the desert. When the camping trip concluded, the men made their way to the small, dusty town of Estación Wadley, still reeling from their experience. To their astonishment, they learned they were not alone in their sighting. Several locals recounted seeing the same dark triangular craft in the skies above the region. Whispers of “los triángulos negros” had already begun to circulate, adding to the enigma of this remote corner of Mexico.
On the early morning of April 18, 2004, between 2:00 AM and 4:00 AM, a group of American college students, fraternity brothers enjoying their spring break at the Hotel Rio Cancun on the Mexican Riviera, encountered an extraordinary and perplexing sight. What began as a casual glance at the ocean from their balcony turned into a gripping, otherworldly experience that would leave a mark on their memories. One of the young men, stepping onto the balcony to take in the moonlit expanse of the Caribbean Sea and the star-strewn night sky, froze in astonishment. Hovering silently over the ocean was a triangular, luminescent object, its edges sharply defined against the darkness. The strange triangle, radiating an eerie glow, appeared to defy the laws of conventional aerodynamics. Though its distance from the balcony was difficult to gauge, the student could distinctly hear a faint, high-pitched sound as the object seemed to slice through the windy night air. Intrigued and bewildered, he called his roommate to the balcony, hoping for a rational explanation. Together, they stood transfixed, watching the mysterious craft in silent awe. Within moments, the triangular object executed a maneuver that seemed impossible: it darted upward with astonishing speed, vanishing into the clouds and, seemingly, beyond the atmosphere itself. The glow faded into the night, leaving the two students stunned. Eager to share their astonishing discovery, they rushed across the hallway to alert their companions. After recounting the sighting, the entire group hurried to the other balcony, scanning the sky for any sign of the enigmatic object. After several minutes of vigilant observation, their persistence was rewarded. The object reappeared, but this time it presented a different form: a luminous, circular shape, far more distant than before. Its movements were erratic and energetic, zigzagging through the clouds with a frenetic grace, darting left and right as if performing an intricate aerial dance. The group watched, captivated, as the object continued its mesmerizing display. Eventually, the students settled into a quiet contemplation, realizing there was little they could do but observe the phenomenon. One of the students returned to his own balcony, where he spent nearly an hour tracking the object’s fluid maneuvers across the sky. In a moment of curiosity or perhaps audacity, he gestured toward the object, as if beckoning it closer. To his astonishment, the craft paused, hovering motionless for nearly a minute, as though acknowledging his gesture with an uncanny awareness. Whether it was a trick of the mind or a genuine response, the moment sent shivers down his spine. The experience left the group grappling with questions that defied easy answers. Was this a glimpse of a clandestine, high-tech government project, or could it have been an inexplicable natural phenomenon? Perhaps, they pondered, it was something far stranger; something beyond the bounds of human understanding.
On a quiet night in Tepalcatepec, Michoacán, on January 12, 2025, at approximately 2:30 AM Central Mexico time, a local resident witnessed an extraordinary event that would leave an indelible mark on his perception of the unknown. While standing outside his home, this witness observed a massive triangular object looming in the night sky, its dark, almost obsidian-like surface faintly illuminated by an eerie, luminous glow. The craft, estimated to be the size of a soccer stadium and hovering roughly one kilometer away, remained motionless, suspended in defiance of earthly physics. For nearly a minute, it hung there, an enigmatic silhouette against the starry expanse. Then, without warning, the object began to glide silently away, its form gradually dissolving into the vast darkness of the sky until it vanished entirely. As the resident stood transfixed, the ground beneath him then trembled violently as a powerful earthquake rattled the region. The earth itself seemed to recoil from the strange visitor. Nearby animals, sensing an unseen disturbance, erupted into a cacophony of agitated cries. The resident, overwhelmed by the surreal sequence of events, experienced a disorienting lapse, later recalling an inexplicable period of “missing time” lasting approximately an hour. When clarity returned, he was left with a profound sense of disorientation, grappling with the lingering mystery of what he had witnessed. This chilling encounter in Tepalcatepec adds a compelling chapter to the growing dossier of triangular UFO sightings reported across Mexico.
REFERENCES
National UFO Reporting Center