Tarbaca Costa Rica UFO Incident (2007)

In 2007, a remarkable event unfolded in Tarbaca, Costa Rica, capturing the attention of UFO enthusiasts. The incident took place on November 22, 2007, in the hills of Tarbaca in the Acosta canton, just before four in the afternoon, around 3:49 p.m. It was documented by Marvin Badilla, a 35-year-old carpenter working on a house under construction, who managed to film a mysterious object using his Motorola RAZR V3. The footage, later shared on the Madrigoloide channel under the title “OVNI Tarbaca – Costa Rica UFO,” offers a clear and unusually close glimpse into something still unexplained.

While sanding boards alongside his coworker, William Rivera, Badilla noticed a disc-shaped object at a relatively close distance, commonly described in accounts as somewhere between about 50 and 75 meters away. There was no warning sound, no buzzing, no engine noise at all. In fact, one of the most striking parts of his account is that the object was completely silent. He immediately called out, “William… William!” while grabbing his phone and beginning to record, but the loud drill drowned him out completely. For about sixteen seconds, Badilla kept the object in frame as it hovered steadily in place.

The video shows a compact, solid object hovering just a few meters above the ground. It appears metallic, with a bright, polished aluminum-like surface, often described as resembling two shallow plates joined together. Around its middle is a darker central band that rotates independently, almost like a sliding ring moving around the body of the craft. The object does not flicker or behave like a distant light source. It looks stable, structured, and physically present within the environment.

Badilla later described himself as calm during the encounter, not frightened or overwhelmed, just focused enough to film deliberately. When William learned what had happened, he confirmed the moment was exciting, but there was no indication of panic or distress. That consistency across accounts adds to the grounded nature of the testimony.

The size of the object, often compared to the wheel of a large tractor, suggests it was relatively small. Badilla described it simply as something very advanced, beyond any technology he recognized, but stopped short of making claims about its origin.

Near the end of the recording, the object performs a distinct maneuver. It tilts roughly 90 degrees onto its side, as if reorienting itself, then rises slightly and accelerates away at a speed Badilla said did not compare to any aircraft he had seen. As it departed, it left behind a brief vapor-like trail that dissipated almost instantly. The motion is sharp, controlled, and deliberate.

Some observers have compared this rotation to descriptions given by Bob Lazar, who claimed that certain craft tilt in order to direct their propulsion. While that comparison exists within UFO discussions, it is important to note that Badilla himself did not make that connection. He remained measured in his conclusions, stating that he could not confirm what the object was, only that it represented a form of advanced technology unlike anything familiar.

Over the years, the footage has been examined multiple times, including modern digital analysis, with no evidence of manipulation found. Lens artifacts and image behavior match the known characteristics of the Motorola RAZR V3 camera, supporting the idea that the object was present in the original scene. The case spread beyond Costa Rica shortly after the event, appearing in media across Latin America and Spain, and continues to be discussed more than a decade later.