(8 Feb 1997) Spanish/Nat Puerto Rico's largest national parks has become the centre of controversy between locals and the authorities. The government has closed down 'El Yunque Park' claiming the main road leading to the forest was destroyed during a hurricane last year. But locals say the park has been closed due to a recent wave of sightings which they claim could be U-F-Os. El Yunque National Forest is one of the most beautiful tourist attractions in Puerto Rico. Each year thousands of local and international tourists visit this park to enjoy the luscious flora and exotic fauna. But the park has now been closed by Federal Government authorities who claim the main road leading to the park was washed out last year when Hurricane Hortense hit the island. Each day scores of locals try to sneak in without luck. They say they don't buy the government's explanation claiming there is something else going on - something from outer space. SOUNDBITE: (Spanish) A few months ago a colleague from work was driving through the highway and saw lights on the sky, very bright. What's going on here? The government is hiding something because it won't let people go through. SUPER CAPTION: Raymond Lopez Jorge Martin - a UFO investigator - also believes there's something strange going on in the park. SOUNDBITE: (Spanish) Many people from the area are seeing unidentified flying objects, huge flying saucers coming in and out of this place and even, apparently, picking up through a light originating from the space ship strange creatures, which go up and then vanish within the lusciousness of the Yunque forest. What's happening? We don't know. But it has caught our attention that while this is happening the authorities have closed El Yunque to the public with the excuse that the road was allegedly destroyed. However, we see vehicles going in, so how can they go through if the road is in shambles. SUPER CAPTION: Jorge Martin, UFO investigator Tony Tirado is one of those people who claims he has seen UFOs. After what he calls a terrifying experience, he's still in the lookout for any unidentified flying objects. Tirado claims he even saw an alien. SOUNDBITE: (Spanish) The neighbours' dogs were running after a small creature, of about three to four feet high, with big wings, small arms and legs. My first reaction was fear, because I was surprised, I wasn't expecting to see something like that because the light wasn't coming through the window, it crossed through my house's ceiling and my whole house was illuminated, as if I had turned on all the lights, but I kept all the lights off. SUPER CAPTION: Tony Tirado, UFO witness El Yunque is not the only place where U-F-Os have been seen. At nearby Luquillo beach, this woman claims she saw an unusual bright light covering the ocean. SOUNDBITE: (Spanish) It was big. The light didn't go all the way to here but it covered the beach area. Q: (Off camera) Is this the first time you've seen something like this? A: Yes, the first time, because I live here on the beach and I've never seen anything like that. Q: (Off camera) Do you think it could be an UFO? A: It has to be a flying saucer because something like that has never been seen here. SUPER CAPTION: Crucita Ramos, UFO witness These are not the first allegations of U-F-Os landing on the island. Last year in the town of Salinas the alleged dead body of an alien was found. It was never confirmed whether the whole story and the alleged photographs of the alien were real or just another hoax. SOUNDBITE: (Spanish) Find out more about AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/HowWeWork Twitter: https://twitter.com/AP_Archive Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/APArchives ​​ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/APNews/ You can license this story through AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/metadata/youtube/fcaa3d1a02d9546e6718b3c5faa212d3

• published: 21 Jul 2015
• views: 73316