Date:  March 2003

Time:  Approx 11.30 pm

Location:  Waihi Beach, Bay of Plenty, North Island, NZ

Witness:  R. Germon, light aircraft commercial pilot, & J. Lobet, private pilot.

Description:

Artists impression

The conditions on this evening were perfect with clear visibility and no wind.

Two pilots taking a late evening stroll along Waihi Beach, north of Tauranga, at around 11.30 pm, observed a large green light approaching over the sea from the direction of Mayor Island, low over the water’s surface and travelling at a speed they estimated at around 180 knots.  The airborne object was completely surrounded by a distinctive bright green glow and it was completely silent.  As it approached them, they noticed that within the green glow there were three bright green lights forming a triangle. The leading light was raised slightly higher than the other two, and was larger.

The two men watched the light / object approach to within 200 metres of the shore.  At this point the “machine” executed a right-angled turn by rotating (turning as on a pivot) on a horizontal plane, rather than rolling and banking over a considerable distance, as an aircraft would do.  The pilots commented that they were amazed how controllable the “machine” was, and how it could manoeuvre in this way without making any sound at all. They could not make out any ‘body’ or framework of the object, just the configuration and position of the lights moving in unison, and the surrounding glow. The light/object proceeded parallel to the shoreline at around 100 knots, heading in the direction of Mount Maunganui (Tauranga shoreline).  The two men watched the lights until they disappeared, with the duration of the whole sighting being around 40 seconds.

One of the pilots stated that he had been flying for 40 years and he had never seen such an object like it before.  The other pilot had sighted UFOs before during his 40 year flying career.

Source:  Ufocus NZ interview & files.