Beams Over the Amazon: Brazil’s Operation Saucer Files

In the late 1970s, residents of a remote Amazonian town reported being attacked by beams of light from the sky. People fell ill. Some were left with burns. Others died.

This episode of Unsettled: The Hidden Record explores the haunting details of Operation Saucer (Operação Prato), a secret investigation by the Brazilian Air Force into hundreds of UFO-related incidents around Colares, Pará. Witnesses described bright flying objects emitting directed beams of energy that caused physical symptoms, paralysis, and deep fear.

The military collected testimonies, photos, and classified footage—then quietly shut the project down. Years later, the files were declassified, but many believe the most important evidence was never released.

What happened over the Amazon? And why did the government keep it quiet?