Summary
During 1977, residents of Colares and other communities in the Brazilian state of Pará reported repeated appearances of unusual luminous objects in the night sky. Some witnesses claimed that concentrated beams of light struck people, producing intense heat, numbness, weakness or skin injuries. The phenomenon became locally known as “chupa-chupa” and caused considerable fear among residents. In response to the reports, the Brazilian Air Force launched a military investigation known as Operação Prato (Operation Saucer), sending personnel to observe, photograph and document the unexplained lights.
Additional Notes
Operação Prato was conducted by Brazil's 1st Regional Air Command (1º COMAR) and produced extensive documentation of the wave. Military teams established observation points around Colares and neighboring areas, recording the time, direction, apparent altitude, color and movement of luminous phenomena and attempting to photograph them. Some observations were made with theodolites. The mission records also contain interviews with residents who claimed to have been struck by beams of light; reported effects included intense heat, numbness and weakness. Medical personnel examined some of the affected residents. The military observers themselves recorded several unexplained luminous phenomena. Their reports describe lights of varying colors and apparent forms, including blue-white objects with reddish areas, sometimes moving at high speed and low apparent altitude. On 8 November 1977, for example, an observation team recorded a light at an estimated distance of 500–1,000 meters; according to the report, it disappeared as an observer prepared to photograph it. The surviving documentation confirms that the Brazilian military investigated and recorded unusual aerial phenomena in the region, but it does not establish an extraterrestrial origin for them. The causes of the sightings and of the physical symptoms reported by some residents remain disputed. --- At least 20 witnesses from Colares are documented in records associated with Operação Prato, while additional reports were collected from surrounding communities. Brazilian Air Force personnel also made observations during the investigation. The actual number of people who witnessed unusual lights during the 1977 wave was considerably larger, but no reliable total can be established.
The Location Today
The reports concern multiple communities and islands around Colares rather than one preserved incident site. Access differs by location.
- Environment
- Forest, Coast / Beach, Village / Rural Area
- Time of Day
- Evening, night and early morning
- Evidence Level
- Official Record
- Visiting the Location
- Limited
- Ownership of the Location
- Mixed