Incident: 1 September 2026, Vallenar, Atacama, Chile. SEFAA case 2279; closed 15 September and published 8 October 2026. Classification: not investigable because essential information was missing.
The reporter described a white point visible while a formation of T-35 Pillán training aircraft passed over Vallenar. The point was said to remain after the aircraft had gone. A later submission supplied photographs, and SEFAA joined the two reports into one file.
Different stages of the afternoon
The eight-page investigation preserves an opening recollection around 14:45, a report reference around 15:02 and subsequent submissions. The four Samsung Galaxy A25 photographs were timed between 15:34 and 15:46. These times concern different stages; the photographs should not be described as simultaneous images of the passing training formation.
SEFAA reported checking the supplied images and their metadata. The public file’s integrity assessment is attributed to its investigators; UKPX has not independently authenticated the original photographs or repeated their image-forensics work.
Why the inquiry stopped
The material did not establish the camera’s position within Vallenar or a dependable direction of view. Without those, the investigator could not delimit a specific area of sky for a full comparison. Requests for the missing information were sent on 10, 11 and 14 September. The report records no reply before closure.
For statistical purposes, SEFAA plotted a reference location. That marker should not be mistaken for a verified camera coordinate. UKPX likewise uses a clearly labelled town reference, preserving the unresolved location question rather than manufacturing precision.
A closed file is not a solved object
The agency reported no corresponding transponder-equipped aircraft close to Vallenar in its checks at the photograph times. That does not identify the point, exclude every possible object or establish an extraordinary origin. The formal outcome remained administrative closure under its investigation protocol.
UKPX read the complete report and reviewed selected photographic and metadata figures. Its interest is the documented limit of the enquiry: useful images and file times can still leave essential viewing geometry unknown. The October publication does not change the September incident date, and the two related submissions are counted only once.
Location and source record
Approximate Vallenar town reference. The investigator did not establish the precise camera location or direction; this point is not a reconstructed sightline. Coordinates follow the checked geographical reference.
UKPX reference added 6 November 2026. Incident year: 2026. UKPX reviewed the linked source account. Any additional review limits are described above. Browse Historical Cases · More UFO / UAP / USO references.