Copy /if of 36 NEW ZEALAND DEFENCE FORCE UNIDENTIFIED FLYING OBJECTS (UFO) FILES COPIES FOR RELEASE TO THE PUBLIC File Number: AIR 244 / 10 / 1 Volume 1 File Title: Reports of UFOs File Timesoan: Opened: 1959 - Closed 1983 File Declassified: September 2010 Location of Original File: Held at Archives New Zealand Access to Original File: Restricted until 2040 File Contains: Reports, interviews and requests for UFO information from the media related to the Moreland sighting. RNZAF report on the 1978 Kaikoura sightings. Interdepartmental correspondence on the future of the Government UFO Investigating Committee. Report on the 1972 Ashburton Space Debris event. Various UFO reports from members of the public, military personnel and passenger aircraft. NEW ZEALAND DEFENCE FORCE PUBLIC RELEASE OF UNIDENTIFIED FLYING OBJECTS (UFO) FILES These copied and redacted files of correspondence on Unidentified Flying Objects dating from 1952 to 2009 have been Declassified and released to the public by the New Zealand Defence Force under the Official Information Act. Access to the original files held by Archives New Zealand is restricted up until the year 2050 for Personal Privacy reasons. These copied files have had the personal details of members of the public making UFO reports removed to preserve their privacy. Personal details of service personnel and civilians employed by the New Zealand Defence Force and other Government Departments and Agencies have not been removed. No other information has been removed or omitted from these files. GENERAL DESCRIPTION OF FILES Correspondence on Flying Saucers began in New Zealand Defence Force Unidentified (UFO) and Unidentified Aerial Sightings (UAS) until the present. The files contain reports of sightings by private individuals and military personnel, investigations by Defence and other Government Departments and agencies into these reports, newspaper clippings on UFOs and letters from individuals who claim to be in touch with alien beings and craft. While the files are in general date order from 1952 until the present some file periods overlap with one another and the documents within each file are not necessarily in strict date order. There can be duplicate documents within each file and copies of the same documents (particularly media releases and reports) can appear in different files. ACCESS TO UFO FILES Headquarters Wellington. electronic DEPARTMENT: File Number.. considered declassified with effect from docjjmgnts regarde^-^ij^ared witifeffect classified appropriate) foreign^seUrce (seejse]^mation tricted parallel Other comments: jWArfrr.V. Classified Departments declassifying department. VolNo....i FILE RELEASE STATEMENT N'o classifiGd docuTftrn^-^^-^^^ NZ documents have been declassified ^ZDF documents only); Foreign Source documents have been cleared for access Some forgi^source documentsjiaw been placed on argstilcted parallel file (^eseparation sheets herCwth recording translei^ Other comments: NEW ZEALAND DEFENCE FORCE (Revised 1991) CLASSIFIED DOCUMENTS - RECEIPT raKaGEMENT undermentioned acknowledged. enclosures discrepancies ; : NEW ZEALAND DEFENGE FORCE ; GpVSSIFIED DOCUMENTS - SUPPLY (Revised 1991) No5r.Ky^.l?. Oiv\Ci vrvci undermentioned ackfiowiedged,- Signature..:. Referehce^Number and Date, enclpsures disci"^aj^ DISPATCHING . . ;: REGISTRY PROMPTLY ^ .{-.ATORS SieNATUR.E Tha Director of Civil Aviation Civil Aviation Division Ministry of Transport Private Bag WELLINGTON tatqSUAL AIRCRAFT ACTIVITY 1. During the early evening of ? June 1983 RNZAF OHAKEA radar reported to WELLINGTON ATCC that two unidentified aircraft were flying in close proximity to WANGANUI airfield. These aircraft were sighted hy the WANGANUI PSS. At 1935M both aircraft left radar coverage. 2. The behaviour of the aircraft indicated to the radar controller that they were flying between 500 and 2000 feet and, because of their speed, that they were helicopters rather than fixed wing aircraft. Although the aircraft appeared to be below the OHJ^EA TMA they were within the WANGANUI CTR. At the time, Wanganui and Wellington advise no known traffic in the area. 3. The Police Department indicated their interest in the activity and RNZAF engtiiries were made. No military aircraft were operating in the area at the time* 4. I believe that you should be aware of the situation in case there are further developments. I would also appreciate notification should any satisfactory conclusion be reached. Wing Commander for Chief of Air Staff f^ESSAGE FORU FOR COMM CEN/SIGNALS USE SECURITY CLASSIFICATION LINE 3 DE ROUTING INDICATORS DATE - TIME GROUP FROM -t2C C i f) ^ Write onfv one addressee per tine TO Ov ^ 'w=iF MESSAGE INSTRUCTIONS DIG/ORIG No. PAGE No. DRAFTER^S NAME AND TITLE PHONE No. RE LEASER'S N^E AND TITLE 3R I DATE 1 TIME SYSTEM IoPERATObI SECURITY CLASSIFICATIC MINUTE SHEET Department: File No.. i DISTRIBUTION RESTRICTEU UNCLASSIFIED riKB23KSfl578 RZyilFT/OPH0 UflljSUfiL BCFTiftCTiyitY. 188ft/iNft IUSPIC|OllS NO UNCLASSIFIED REPLY OR REFERENCl INBICfiTEI i8ft/108ft restricted UliCLASSlFlED REFEiygiSi^ iCnON BON 6 NN: tl2CZaLte32 PP RZVtfTT RZVXUT zsy R82R F ZBEP SIR RZYRTr/OPHS RZVR8T/RSZ8F SCHEIULEI/MTIFIE! RRHORWil/OHfHtIfl jS^PEEBS, ftCKNOHLEBGE RESTRICTED unclassified lKfl752tFfi814 RESTRICTED RZ^i^XCE-. unclassified JE ZVTT S548 1596538 WHY OR BEFERENC* RZIfKCEXmEF RZVXUT/RliZftF DK UWSUfil flCFT SCTIUirV, RESTRICTED unclassifiId ACTION: I MU LP?45KLF37i an ijjyxff FOR DEP HQ DUTY OFFR SUSPlCIOys SOOrHERLY, SOUTHBOOMD, OPERRTIONS filRFIELB. INFORHSTION flCTIlH SOPERVISIR Typed: 30 Sep 82 Mr H E Wright CHRISTCHURCH i.i!NiSTl\jOr- PiEl"uNC| dispatched Dear Mr Wright Septeraber reguesting Unidentified Yours sincerely David Thomson Minister of Defence Item 52 j Mr HottlAon:^ Sovnuiexit Eous^ Wellington* Christ cAurch, 1* Qer Sir; Ilk. reterenee to m letter to Mr B Thonson, Minister of Befence, Septenber* requesting Wellington. This will Include The Prine ^Jtiister, Minister of Defence, and the Minister of Poliee^ Yours SLncers^ly, ORIQUiATQE BEFuRS SrG?4AT0RE FOR SiariAVURE BEFORE DISPAteH AFTER DISPATCH Ref No: Air 2AA/10/1 Mr H K right caaistfegisKiH Deer Mr Wrkght. Septeraber ragiiestiiig DnidentifieS forirairded contained, yours sinoerely Minister of Defeno i}. February 1962 Mr H E Wright CHRISTCHURCH 1 Dear Mr Wright acknowledge concerning Christchurch International Yours sincerely J M P MacCcrmac Private Secretary SECRETARY OP DEFENCE Private Secretary nrs Cilaon ncCalXua, Oaar Rrs ncCallun, Thank you for your letter of 4 April about the requests yoi/ have been receiving for telease of your information about assured that this flinistry will do nothing to release the permission. television Journalist. your confidences and privacy arising out of your association with Defence at the time the incident took place. Yours sincerely. (D.B.G. RcLaan) Secretary of Defence y<Ay^*Ay\y^^ yfuy^ y^^tAyZ^^-y-ty^^ yAy..>yc^^ yf^ fyx^ yyjtyyf pZ^Lfy^ ^ ^ ^ jy^y^ i^ <y^ A->aoc^X,^ py^e,y'^rtjLA%^ ,<kyO yit'T^^A'-^^ ^ yA^.'cyCf^ ryyj^ ^--yyy a^y^ZiiC^^ March 1979 Dear Mr Clarkson, coneideration ^incident** assurances confidentiality aasurances influenced understand, authorities talevieion experience. investigating faithfully. {D.B.G. McLean) Secretary of Defence aaOEMATOR'S rOR StGtNATURS b? before dispatch to after dispatch to sRi'isa UP rtr David Clarkson, Christchurch Star^,, Roportars* Hoorn, CHRISTCHURCH Dear Rr Clarkson, contaentad confidentiality, I wish you luck with the story. sincerely, (O.&.G. Hctean) Secretary of Defence CHRISTCHURCH Christchurch New Zealand Reporters Room#' Mr D#B#G*McLeari, Secretary of Defence, Ministry of Defence, Wellington#' Dear Mr McDean,