The Congo Snake legend would not exist without one man: Colonel Remy Van Lierde. A decorated Belgian Air Force pilot and World War II veteran, Van Lierde claimed in 1959 to have seen a colossal serpent while flying a helicopter over Katanga in the Belgian Congo. His testimony and a blurry aerial photograph sparked one of cryptozoology’s most enduring myths.
Who was Remy Van Lierde?
Born in 1915, Van Lierde joined the Belgian Air Force and fought in World War II, becoming a fighter ace credited with shooting down enemy aircraft. After the war, he continued his career as a test pilot and later served in Africa during Belgium’s colonial period. By 1959, he was an experienced aviator with thousands of flight hours.
The 1959 Katanga sighting
During a helicopter patrol near Kamina Air Base, Van Lierde reported seeing an enormous snake moving across the terrain. He described it as at least 50 feet long, dark green with a whitish underside, and with a head as wide as a car door. He said the serpent raised a portion of its body toward the helicopter, as if in a defensive posture. An onboard photographer allegedly captured the now-famous aerial image that continues to circulate online.
A hero’s credibility questioned
Van Lierde’s decorated military background gave weight to his testimony, but scientists remain skeptical. Zoologists note that no modern snake has ever approached 50 feet in length. The largest verified species, the reticulated python and the green anaconda, reach between 20 and 30 feet at most. Without physical remains or corroborating evidence, Van Lierde’s account is considered anecdotal, not scientific.
Legacy of the Congo Snake story
In 1980, Van Lierde retold his sighting on the television series Arthur C. Clarke’s Mysterious World. That broadcast ensured the “Congo Snake” legend lived on in global imagination. Today, his name is inseparable from the story, and the tale is regularly revived on social media and cryptid forums. Still, experts emphasize that the legend remains unverified and more a case study in human fascination with the unknown than in zoological discovery.
Editorial note
Remy Van Lierde’s role in the Congo Snake story illustrates how reputation and narrative can give longevity to a legend. His military honors are real, but the snake he claimed to see remains firmly in the realm of myth. For the full science-based investigation of the story, see our cornerstone: Congo Snake: the 1959 Katanga photo, the pilot’s claim, and the scientific record.
