This is a list of some of the more notable UFO reports in New Zealand. The most widely reported incident, and the only one investigated, involved the Kaikoura lights seen by a pilot in 1978. Although the New Zealand Defence Force does not take an official interest in UFO reports, in December 2010 it released previously secret files on hundreds of purported UFO reports. New Zealand's Minister of Defence, Wayne Mapp said 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".
Contents
1950s
1970s
The 21 December 1978 incident in the Kaikoura area attracted media attention throughout New Zealand and Australia. The crew of a cargo plane reported strange lights over the Kaikoura Ranges and a Wellington radar team reported inexplicable readings. these were filmed by a news crew over several nights.