Natalio Ruiz
Army Corporal Natalio Ruiz was a Bolivian military serviceman who served as a direct eyewitness to the 1978 Bolivia UFO Crash, one of the most well-documented UFO crash incidents involving US government response. Ruiz observed the cylindrical object before it impacted the mountainside near El Taire, Bolivia, providing detailed testimony about its appearance and flight characteristics.
| Role | Bolivian Army Corporal |
|---|
Eyewitness Testimony
On May 6, 1978, at approximately 4:15 PM, Corporal Ruiz witnessed a cylindrical object fly directly above his head before crashing into a nearby mountainside. Ruiz described the object as resembling "a gigantic wine container emitting a trace of white smoke."
His description of the object as cylindrical aligns with the subsequent assessment by Bolivian military personnel who reached the crash site and described it as "a dull metallic cylinder 12 feet long with a few dents."
Significance of Testimony
Ruiz's testimony is particularly significant because:
- He observed the object in flight, not just after the crash
- His description of size, shape, and smoke trail provides flight characteristics data
- As a military witness, his testimony carries institutional credibility
- His account corroborates the physical evidence examined by Bolivian military at the crash site
The fact that the object was trailing white smoke suggests either propulsion system activity or structural damage occurring during atmospheric entry or flight.
Bolivian Military Response
Following Ruiz's sighting and the crash, Bolivian military dispatched three jets to investigate the wreckage. The military's rapid response and subsequent request for technical assistance from US personnel suggests Bolivian authorities recognized the object as anomalous and beyond their analytical capabilities.
US Government Interest
Ruiz's sighting contributed to the documented chain of events that led to:
- US Secretary of State Cyrus Vance contacting "appropriate government agencies"
- Project Moondust receiving film of the object from Bolivian military
- Deployment of US Air Force officers Colonel Robert Simmons and Major Jesse Haaste to Bolivia
Ruiz's role as the primary witness who observed the object before impact likely influenced the decision to treat this as a significant event requiring international coordination and US technical assessment.