A leaked 30-second clip has ignited social media and forums specializing in unidentified aerial phenomena. In the footage, allegedly captured using Google Earth, two military aircraft circle a disc-shaped object hovering motionless above the vast, icy expanse of Antarctica. The recording, which has been circulating for 48 hours on platforms like TikTok and Telegram, has garnered millions of views and sparked a debate that goes far beyond mere virality.

The footage was discovered by independent researcher Javier Morales, a retired aerospace engineer from the Spanish Air Force who dedicates his time to exploring forgotten coordinates on satellite maps. Morales asserts that the sequence is not a hoax. “I’ve spent years reviewing historical layers of Google Earth, and this is the first time I’ve found something that doesn’t match any known aircraft,” he states in an audio message sent to this publication. “The planes resemble F-22 Raptors based on their silhouettes, but the central disc doesn’t reflect light like conventional metal. It’s opaque, almost absorbent, and maintains its altitude without any visible propulsion.”

The exact coordinates, 74°38’S 164°35’E, correspond to a remote area of ​​the Ross Glacier, far from any permanent scientific base. According to Morales, the original image dates back to 2018, but it was removed from public view in less than 24 hours. It was only recorded in screenshots that he saved. “Google doesn’t comment on these removals, but the pattern is recurring when anomalies appear,” he adds.

The second testimony comes from retired Captain Laura Vega, a former Chilean Navy pilot with more than three thousand flight hours in the Antarctic region. Vega recognizes the aircraft movements. “That maneuver is called a ‘carousel chase’ and is only executed when the target represents a threat or extreme interest,” she explains. “In 2009, I participated in a similar exercise near Frei Base, but we never saw anything like this. The disc doesn’t emit a thermal or sonic trail. It’s as if it defies the laws we know.”

Forensic imaging experts consulted by this publication agree that the video shows no obvious signs of digital manipulation. Dr. Miguel Torres, a professor of signal processing at the Polytechnic University of Madrid, analyzed the file frame by frame. “The compression distortion is consistent with a real screenshot. There are no 3D rendering artifacts or layer overlays,” he states. However, Torres cautions that the absence of original metadata prevents absolute verification.

Antarctica has been the site of similar sightings since Operation Highjump in 1947, when Admiral Richard Byrd commanded a fleet that, according to declassified documents, encountered “enemy aircraft” of unknown origin. More recently, in 2016, British astronaut Tim Peake photographed an anomalous glow over the white continent from the International Space Station, which NASA categorized as a “possible reflection.” No official explanation has convinced the ufological community.

The 30-second clip has no audio, but the synchronization between the planes’ turns and the disk’s stillness creates a visual tension that keeps the viewer glued to the screen. In recent hours, Reddit users have overlaid the sequence with Chilean military radar maps from the same date, revealing brief interruptions in coverage that coincide with the exact location. “It’s as if someone turned off the radar to avoid detection,” commented an anonymous analyst using the pseudonym IceWatcher.

Organizations like the Mutual UFO Network (MUFON) have already opened an investigation. Its director for Europe, Roberto Pinotti, believes the footage warrants official inquiry. “We’re not claiming it’s extraterrestrial, but it certainly deserves a response beyond the institutional silence,” he stated. Pinotti noted that in 2021 the Pentagon acknowledged 144 unexplained cases, several of them in southern latitudes.

Meanwhile, Google maintains its policy of not commenting on edits to its satellite images. A spokesperson contacted by this publication simply stated that “the updates are based on privacy and security criteria.” This phrase, repeated in previous cases, does not clarify why an ice desert would need protection.

The clip’s virality has driven searches related to “Antarctica UFO” to record levels. In Spain, the term climbed into the top 10 trending topics in less than 12 hours. Influencers like science communicator José Luis Crespo have shared the video with the warning that “curiosity must be accompanied by rigor.” Crespo encourages his followers to review the historical layers of Google Earth before they disappear.

Javier Morales, for his part, announces that he will publish a technical report in the coming days with…