Around the same time as Fred disappeared the were strange lights in the Tasman off the New Zealand coast. From a distant memory they were sighted from a military Orion, could have been an Oz one. I'm sure it would be documented somewhere. A vague recolection was they said the bright lights doing impossible speeds were a natural coud formation or some such.
Kaikoura UFO sightings never fully investigated | Stuff.co.nz
Found it, was before Fred's loss.