Multiple unidentified lights were tracked over Kaikoura, New Zealand by civilian aircraft and ground radar systems, showing coordinated movement and behavior inconsistent with known aircraft or atmospheric phenomena.
On December 21, 1978, a cargo aircraft operated by Safe Air Ltd flying between Blenheim and Christchurch encountered multiple bright, fast-moving lights in the skies near Kaikoura. The objects were simultaneously detected on ground radar operated by the New Zealand Ministry of Defence. A second aircraft sent to investigate also observed the phenomena. The lights demonstrated erratic movement, sudden acceleration, and synchronization between multiple objects. The event remains one of the most documented aviation-related UFO encounters in the Southern Hemisphere.
| Date: | 1978-12-21 |
| Location: | Kaikoura, South Island |
| Country: | New Zealand |
| Category: | Aviation / Military Radar |
| Credibility: | High / Multi-Sensor Confirmed |