New Zealand Ministry of Defence Radar Operators

Military Radar Technicians

The 1978 Kaikoura Lights were a series of unexplained UFO sightings in New Zealand involving multiple commercial cargo flights, news crews, and Ministry of Defence radar operators. Radar controllers in Wellington repeatedly tracked unidentifiable objects that paced the aircraft for over 60 km, with no other air traffic in the area.

The IncidentFirst Sighting: On December 21, 1978, a Safe Air Argosy cargo plane flying over the Kaikoura mountain ranges reported strange lights and inexplicable radar echoes that closely tracked their aircraft.

Media Confirmation: On December 30–31, 1978, a television crew aboard a similar aircraft documented the objects visually and on radar. The crew captured footage of mysterious glowing orbs and pear-shaped lights that changed colors.

Ministry of Defence & Government ResponseRadar Tracking: Wellington air traffic controllers confirmed they were tracking unidentified targets on their radar screens at the exact times the flight crews were visually observing the lights.

Official Investigation: The events prompted mass media coverage and triggered an official investigation by the Royal New Zealand Air Force. Because of the national attention, then-Prime Minister Robert Muldoon requested direct updates on the military's findings.

Theories & Conclusions: The air staff report, titled "Report on unidentifiable visual and radar sightings," largely concluded that most of the sightings were the result of natural but unusual phenomena, such as the planet Jupiter, meteors, and light reflections from fishing and squid boats.

LegacyDespite the military’s official explanations, the simultaneous tracking of objects on radar and visual verification by pilots and journalists left a lack of consensus. The event remains one of New Zealand's most famous and highly debated mysteries