“New Zealand Investigates 5 UFO Reports”,
24 December 1978 (The Pittsburgh Press, Pennsylvania)
New Zealand’s Defence Department investigated five UFO incidents in December 1978, according to The Pittsburgh Press:
http://news.google.com/newspapers?id=bdMdAAAAIBAJ&sjid=LlkEAAAAIBAJ&pg=4401,2757310
Quote from the article:
“The reports said the pilot of a commercial airliner claimed one UFO shadowed him for 12 miles on his approach to Christchurch Airport early Friday (22 December 1978).
Capt. Vern Powell, a pilot for 25 years, described the object as ‘a brilliant white light, like an arc lamp, and moving at tremendous speed.’
In a dramatic message to Christchurch control tower he said, ‘something’s coming towards us at tremendous speed.
It has traveled 24 kilometers (16 miles) in five seconds. It has now abruptly veered off.’
Powell said his crew saw the UFO clearly and Civil Aviation radar in Wellington tracked it.”
NOTE: The newspaper date is 24 December 1978.
Aerial view of Christchurch International Airport,
Christchurch, New Zealand (flickr.com photo)