The most widely reported UFO incident in New Zealand, and the only one investigated, involved the Kaikoura lights encountered by aircraft, filmed and tracked by radar in December 1978.
The New Zealand Defence Force does not take an official interest in UFO reports,[1] but in December 2010 it released files on hundreds of purported UFO reports.
[2] New Zealand's then-Minister of Defence, Wayne Mapp said at the time people could "make what they will" of the reports, and said "a quick scan of the files indicates that virtually everything has a natural explanation".
The 21 December 1978 incident in the Kaikōura area attracted media attention throughout New Zealand and Australia.
The crew of a cargo plane reported strange lights over the Kaikōura Ranges and a Wellington radar team reported inexplicable readings.