The Kaikoura Lights

During December 1978, a series of UFO sightings occurred along the northeast coast of New Zealand’s South Island near Kaikoura. Most significantly, an Australian television crew aboard a cargo aircraft filmed the lights while radar simultaneously tracked unknown objects, creating some of the most compelling UFO footage ever recorded.

The Location

Kaikoura coast:

• South Island, New Zealand
• December 1978
• Multiple nights
• Radar range
• Clear visibility

The First Sightings

December 21, 1978:

• Cargo aircraft crew
• Saw strange lights
• Radar contacts
• Wellington control confirmed
• Unusual activity

The Television Crew

Australian Channel 0:

• Reporter Quentin Fogarty
• Cameraman David Crockett
• Sound engineer
• Aboard cargo plane
• December 30-31

The Flight

Argosy cargo aircraft:

• Flew the route
• Specifically to film
• Lights appeared
• Camera rolling
• Historic footage

The Objects

Witnesses observed:

• Bright lights
• Multiple objects
• Maneuvering
• Near aircraft
• Radar tracked

The Radar

Wellington Air Traffic:

• Tracked unknowns
• Same area as visuals
• Confirmed not aircraft
• Anomalous returns
• Documented

The Film

Crockett captured:

• 16mm footage
• Multiple objects
• Different sequences
• Color film
• Clear images

Analysis

The film was:

• Analyzed by experts
• NASA examined
• Various conclusions
• Not definitively identified
• Genuine unknowns filmed

The Pilots

Flight crew:

• Captain Bill Startup
• First Officer Bob Guard
• Both witnessed
• Both experienced
• Credible observers

Radar Correlation

Unique aspect:

• Visual sightings
• Matched radar
• Same time
• Same location
• Strong evidence

Official Response

New Zealand authorities:

• Investigated
• Could not explain
• No official conclusion
• Files released
• Mystery admitted

Skeptical Explanations

Critics proposed:

• Venus
• Squid boats
• Atmospheric effects
• But couldn’t explain
• All evidence together

The Broadcast

Footage shown:

• Worldwide
• Major networks
• Significant attention
• International interest
• Lasting impact

Significance

The Kaikoura lights are significant for:

• Film evidence
• Radar correlation
• Multiple witnesses
• Professional documentation
• Extended events

Legacy

The Kaikoura lights remain among the best-documented UFO sightings in history. The combination of film footage, radar tracking, multiple experienced witnesses, and extended observation time makes this case exceptional in UFO research.