Massive 1,000-Foot UFO Found In US? Social Media Detectives Debunk The Claim

A mysterious photo believed to be of a massive 1,000-foot-wide UFO, hovering over the American Southwest, has gone viral on social media. Released by controversial former Department of Defence employee and activist Luis "Lue" Elizondo, the image has caught the attention of social media users who are now debating if the picture is real or if it has been digitally altered.

The grainy photo was allegedly snapped by a commercial airline pilot in 2021 flying at 21,000 feet near the Four Corners landmark joining parts of New Mexico, Arizona, Utah and Colorado.

"Captured near Four Corners at FL20, estimated 600-1,000 ft in diameter, silver-hued, disc-shaped," the UAP Disclosure Fund captioned the image on X (formerly Twitter).

✈️ NEW PHOTO (civilian pilot)

Captured near Four Corners at FL210—estimated 600-1,000 ft in diameter, silver-hued, disc-shaped.

Released moments ago by @LueElizondo during our “Science, National Security & Innovation” panel. Several speakers confirmed DoD & IC hold hundreds of… pic.twitter.com/KHxkywz8JR

— UAP Disclosure Fund (@UAPDF) May 1, 2025

As soon as the image was posted, the internet detectives got to business and pointed out that the picture was really just two crop circles, commonly spotted in desert climates.

"This is clearly a crop circle, not a UAP. Mislabeling known terrestrial phenomena erodes public trust and undermines legitimate disclosure efforts. Please correct this mistake, your reputation is on the line," wrote one user.

Some users also compared the image to a side-by-side Google Maps pic to show that there was nothing "alien" about the media shared by the ex-federal officer.

“Are you guys serious? Have you never flown in a plane before? These agricultural circles are extremely common,” said another user.

Elizondo issues statement

After the photo and related claims were debunked by the social media users, Mr Elizondo released a statement, admitting he got it wrong but refused to share an apology. Mr Elizondo said he had been provided the photo by a pilot prior to the forum.

"The purpose of me showing the photo was to illustrate the need for civilian and commercial pilots to have a central reporting mechanism to report potential anomalous sightings," he wrote.

"In the end, whether a private pilot sees what turns out to be a cloud, a balloon, a tennis shoe, or a UAP, we need a reporting mechanism to ensure it can be analysed and resolved. This was the reason I shared the photo, and I emphasised that several times during the forum."

As you know, I am always first to admit mistakes, but this is not one of those times. The facts regarding the photo I shared from a private pilot (as I emphasized several times yesterday during the forum) are as follows:

1. The specific photo had only just been provided to me…

— Lue Elizondo (@LueElizondo) May 2, 2025

This is not the first instance when Mr Elizondo has come under scrutiny for his "extraterrestrial" claims, with the Pentagon also debunking his statements that alien life was present on Earth.