Pilot Jorge Arteaga — 'Best UFO Footage Ever' over Antioquia, Colombia (2022)

**Incident — May 12, 2022, Antioquia, Colombia**

Captain Jorge A. Arteaga and his co-pilot are aboard a Cessna T303 Crusader on a routine flight over the mountainous Antioquia region of Colombia at approximately 12,500 ft. They observe a silver, disc-shaped object that initially appears stationary, then seems to approach their aircraft before passing at high speed. Arteaga films the object from the cockpit window.

**The Video**
The footage shows the object at close range: silver, shiny, flat and oval with a pointed front. It moves at remarkable speed with no contrails. The video goes viral in 2023 — first on X (Twitter), then in media worldwide. Many describe it as "the best UFO footage ever."

**Reactions and Investigations**
- Colombian Air Force: "Object with characteristics similar to a balloon" — official assessment
- UFO-Community (X/Reddit): Video-Authentizität bestätigt, Objekt-Identität ungeklärt
- Arteaga himself: Rules out balloon, drone, and known objects — "too high for a balloon, too fast for a drone"
- Reddit/UFO community: Divided — many see similarity to Festo AirRay

**Most Likely Explanation: Festo AirRay Balloon**
The Festo AirRay (Air_ray) is a bionic flying object by German company Festo: a helium-filled balloon shaped like a manta ray, silver-colored with a shiny foil surface and wave-like beating wing propulsion. Visual characteristics match:
- Silver, metallic shiny surface ✓
- Flat, oval shape with pointed front ✓
- Hovering, wave-like movement ✓
- No contrails, no engine noise ✓

The Festo YouTube video (2011) shows the object in action — the visual comparison is compelling. However: Festo AirRays are primarily designed for indoor use, making 12,500 ft altitude unusual.

**Assessment: Probably Explained — But Not Conclusively**
The video is authentic (no CGI, no post-processing). The object is real. The Festo AirRay explanation is visually compelling and the most likely explanation. The altitude of 12,500 ft and the apparent high speed remain to be explained. No official final verdict.