Hundreds of Kiwis stranded in New Caledonia continue to wait to find out exactly when rescue flights will be on way to get them out. Air New Zealand confirmed last night all flights remained suspended, with its next scheduled service not being until Saturday. And Government and NZDF officials are awaiting permission from French authorities before it can send in a military plane to fly some of the stranded Kiwis out of the popular tourist destination; with the airport remaining closed to commercial flights.
Up to 290 New Zealanders are registered as being in New Caledonia, where riots have turned deadly during the past week. Among those hoping to get out soon are tech entrepreneur Alex Smeele and his partner Alexia, who arrived for what was meant to be a well-deserved holiday in paradise last Monday. “We landed about 11.
30am local time (12.30pm NZT). We came out of the airport and tried to get a taxi.
There were no taxis, but there was already a truck full of [French Police] stationed outside the airport.” The couple did not read too much into that - until they left the airport. “It was when we took the shuttle to Noumea.
..we started encountering a lot of demonstrators, protesters waving flags and then about half a dozen roadblocks of burning tyres.
“It was only when we woke up on Tuesday morning and we could see plumes of black smoke coming out of the city and heard about riots overnight,” he said. “I think there were a couple of deaths..
. and there was disruption.
