Quick Info
On the sunny afternoon of September 10 1990, dozens of ordinary people in the small town of Alfena, just north of Porto in Portugal, witnessed something extraordinary. A large, dark, turtle or medusa-shaped object with several leg-like tentacles hanging beneath it hovered low over the area for nearly an hour.
Construction workers, residents, and passersby all stopped to watch the strange craft. Some even threw stones at it while others took photographs. It remains one of Portugal’s most compelling mass UFO sightings.
A Normal Afternoon in Alfena
It was a typical late summer day in Alfena. Construction workers were busy on a local building site when one of them noticed something unusual in the sky. At first they thought it might be a balloon or an unusual aircraft, but as it drew closer and remained almost stationary, they realized this was something completely different.
Word spread quickly through the small community and soon a growing crowd of locals had gathered to watch the mysterious object.
The Strange Turtle-Shaped Craft
The object was described by most witnesses as roughly 10 to 15 meters wide with a rounded, dome-like upper section and a flatter bottom. Several thick, leg-like or tentacle-like structures hung down from it, giving it the appearance of a giant turtle or a jellyfish floating in the air.
The craft had a dark, metallic or rubbery-looking surface and emitted a soft glow. It moved very slowly or simply hovered in place with almost no sound.
“It looked like a big turtle with legs hanging down. It was very strange and unlike anything I had ever seen.”
- Local witness
The craft stayed visible for a long time, giving many people the chance to observe it carefully from different angles. Some witnesses reported seeing a slight shimmering or movement around the object, while others noted it seemed almost alive in the way it hovered so gracefully.
The Crowd’s Reaction
As the minutes passed and the object remained hovering, the crowd grew bolder. Some of the men began throwing stones toward the craft. Others simply stood and stared in amazement or fear. The object did not react aggressively to the stones. It continued to hover calmly as if observing the people below.
The entire encounter lasted approximately 50 minutes to an hour, which is unusually long for such a close sighting.
Photographs and Evidence
Several people managed to take photographs during the event. Some of these images have survived and been studied by Portuguese UFO researchers over the years. The photos generally show a dark, rounded object with structures underneath, matching the verbal descriptions given by multiple independent witnesses.
The consistency of the accounts and the existence of photographic evidence make the Alfena case stand out among European UFO reports from that era.
The Object Departs
After hovering for a considerable time, the craft slowly began to move away. It did not shoot off at high speed but instead drifted gradually until it disappeared from view. No one was injured during the event, and the object caused no physical damage to buildings or property.
Fred and the other witnesses were left with a profound sense that they had seen something truly extraordinary that afternoon.
The Investigation
The case received local media attention shortly after it happened and was later investigated by Portuguese UFO groups. Researchers interviewed multiple witnesses and collected the available photographs.
The Alfena encounter is remembered as one of the best-documented mass sightings in Portugal, notable for the number of people involved, the duration of the event, and the unusual shape of the craft.
Timeline of the Alfena Encounter
- September 10 1990 Afternoon - Construction workers first spot the unusual object.
- Crowd Gathers - Dozens of locals come to watch the hovering craft.
- 50+ Minutes - Turtle-shaped object with legs remains visible and mostly stationary.
- Photographs Taken - Several images captured by witnesses.
- Object Departs - Craft slowly moves away and disappears.
Great video on this event from @EyesOnCinema
More video from @EyesOnCinema on YouTube
What Do You Think?
A large turtle or medusa-shaped object with hanging legs hovers for nearly an hour over a small Portuguese town in broad daylight. Dozens of people see it, some throw stones, and several photos are taken. Is this one of the best mass sighting cases in Europe, or is there a more conventional explanation? The 1990 Alfena encounter remains one of Portugal’s most intriguing UFO events. Let me know your thoughts ont his event.
