FOIA Release: Air Force UAP documents from Gulf of Mexico incident
The Black Vault published Air Force records regarding the January 2023 Gulf of Mexico UAP incident on March 6, 2024. Researcher Abbas Michael Dharamsey obtained the documents through Freedom of Information Act requests. The release includes a pilot's sketch and mission summary, though video footage was withheld under classification rules.
Background
On March 6, 2024, The Black Vault released 23 pages of declassified Air Force documentation detailing a UAP encounter from the previous year. Software engineer Abbas Michael Dharamsey secured these records through systematic FOIA requests, inspired by the archive's transparency work. The materials include a mission summary describing an object with characteristics inconsistent with known aircraft technology.
The document release features a hand-drawn illustration created by the flight crew, depicting the object's distinctive shape and illumination. However, responsive video recordings were completely withheld under Exemption (b)(1), which protects information bearing on national defense. This classification status suggests the visual evidence contains sensitive operational details or capabilities.
Dharamsey has indicated intentions to appeal the video denial and submit additional requests regarding AARO's investigation into the incident. The partial disclosure represents a significant data point in ongoing government transparency efforts regarding military UAP encounters.