In 1959, Remy Van Lierde, a Colonel in the Belgian Air Force stationed at the Kamina airbase in the Belgian-occupied Congo, claimed to have seen a massive snake while flying over the forests of the Katanga region of the Democratic Republic of the Congo during a mission by helicopter.
The Giant Congo Snake Mystery
According to Colonel Van Lierde, the snake he saw was nearly 50 feet long, with a triangular head that was 2 feet wide and 3 feet long. If his estimate was accurate, this would make the snake one of the largest ever recorded. The colonel described the snake as having dark green and brown top scales, with a white underside.
Upon seeing the snake, Colonel Van Lierde instructed the pilot to turn the helicopter around for a second pass. As they flew by, the snake reared up and lifted the front ten feet of its body, as if to strike. This allowed Van Lierde to get a closer look at its white underbelly.
However, as the helicopter flew so low that the colonel thought the snake might be able to strike it, he ordered the pilot to continue on their journey. As a result, the snake was never properly documented, although some reports suggest that an onboard photographer managed to take a photo of it.
What Could It Actually Be?
There are several theories about what the strange creature that Colonel Van Lierde saw could be. Some believe it could be a massive African rock python, a previously undiscovered species of snake, or possibly a descendant of the giant Eocene snake known as Gigantophis.
About Remy Van Lierde
Remy Van Lierde was born on August 14, 1915, in Overboelare, Belgium. He started his career in the Belgian Air Force on September 16, 1935, as a fighter pilot. During World War II, he served in both the Belgian and British Air Forces, shooting down six enemy aircraft and 44 V-1 flying bombs, and achieving the rank of Squadron Leader in the RAF.
In 1954, Van Lierde was appointed Deputy Chief of Staff to the Minister of Defense. In 1958, he became one of the first Belgians to break the sound barrier while testing a Hawker Hunter at Dunsfold Aerodrome in England. After the war, he returned to the Belgian Air Force and held several important commands before retiring in 1968. Van Lierde passed away on June 8, 1990.
