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Thai risks still high as Kiwis stranded
By Thursday, 04 December 2008
Protests tarnish Thailand’s image
While hundreds of Kiwis remain stranded in Thailand, new travel warnings talk of increased terror threats, political unrest and severe airport congestion that could take weeks to clear.
"We continue to receive reports that terrorists may be planning attacks against a range of targets, including tourist areas and other places oftened by foreigners," Australian Foreign Affairs Minister Stephen Smith said yesterday.
The New Zealand Government Safetravel website says that due to the political situation, people should not go to Thailand unless absolutely necessary.
Several countries put on more planes to get their nationals home.
Passenger flights out of Bangkok are scheduled to resume tomorrow after anti-government protesters agreed to end an airport blockade that has stranded hundreds of thousands of travellers.
But New Zealand has been able to provide little direct help to an estimated 250 New Zealanders held up in Thailand. Qantas and Jetstar have got more than 1000 Australians out of the country.
Embassy staff have been offering advice but officials say about 140 New Zealanders have left or made their own bookings to leave. But it was unclear whether the plane would be used to get Kiwis out of Thailand.
Meanwhile, an air force Hercules, sent to help if needed to evacuate New Zealanders, was scheduled to land in Kuala Lumpur early this morning (NZ time).
The Hercules – with two full crews, medics and other support staff – flew out of Auckland on Tuesday night and overnighted in Brisbane before flying to Malaysia. Air Commodore Gavin Howse said it would wait for government direction.
Opposition leader Phil Goff said yesterday that the Government's response was "ad hoc and delayed" poorly planned and showed a lack of communication between minister, officials and the public. . He questioned the lack of incident planning and a lack of coordination with the Australian Government. He questioned the lack of incident planning and a lack of coordination with the Australian Government
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Postie bowled as fugitive flees police in stolen van
The Tuesday, 11 November 2008
COLIN SMITH/
VICTIM: Postman Mark Taylor, 30, was left shaken and sore after being run over during a police chase.
A dramatic high-speed police chase through the streets of central Nelson this morning saw a postie knocked off his bike before it ended with a crash and the arrest of a 22-year-old Nelson man wanted in connection with a series of arsons.
The van was spotted on Queen Elizabeth II Dr but the driver did not stop for police.
Nelson Bays Police area commander Inspector Brian McGurk said a police pursuit began before 9am after the man was spotted driving a Sunrise Cleaning Services van that had been reported missing from the Nelson Provincial Museum.
Police had earlier sought a warrant to arrest the man for possessing a molotov cocktail, which had allegedly been thrown into a Sovereign St house on Sunday night.
Mr McGurk said police wanted to stop the driver because he had showed signs of "erratic and unpredictable" behaviour in recent days. Those included car fires on Sovereign St and Waimea Rd Monday morning.
Police had also wanted to speak to the man in connection with a series of arsons, Mr McGurk said.
He said police were ordered to give up the pursuit because of the danger of travelling at such high speeds through central Nelson.
Mr McGurk said the van driver allegedly reached speeds of 140kmh before turning into Trafalgar St and reaching up to 70kmh.
Nelsonian Debbie Smith said she saw the "horrible" accident.
At the intersection of Hastings St and Washington Rd, the driver collided with a postman, he said. The postie went up in the air. .
He had been crossing Washington Rd to deliver some mail and had seen the driver coming up Hastings St and thought he was going to slow down."
Postman Mark Taylor, 30, an experienced postie, said he was shaken and sore from the incident."
Mr Taylor fell off his bike, which was hit from the rear.
"I could tell he was going to hit me but there was not a lot I could do at that point.
Mr McGurk said the driver continued through Tahunanui and towards Stoke and police renewed their pursuit. His bike was damaged but he was not seriously injured, suffering grazing to his body and a sore hip.
At 9.
Police set up road spikes to try to stop the driver but gave up their pursuit again on Nayland Rd because it was too dangerous to continue near the schools.
Mr McGurk did not believe the person in the other car was injured.35am, the driver collided with another car at the Rutland and Kent Sts intersection, he said.
Police arrested the man and Mr McGurk said it was likely that he would face a number of driving charges.
Police arrested the man and Mr McGurk said it was likely that he would face a number of driving charges.
He was expected to appear in the Nelson District Courtthis afternoonand Mr McGurk said police would oppose bail.
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Warship docks after Gulf duties
on HMNZS Te Mana Monday, 08 September 2008
/The
DADDY’S LITTLE GIRL: Ingrid Gerritsen, 7, greets her father, Commander Blair Gerritsen, aboard the warship Te Mana, which docked after five months in the Persian Gulf as part of Enduring Freedom, a multinational operation to defeat the Taleban in Afghanistan.
Frontline warship Te Mana has suffered potentially life-shortening damage after five months sailing in the sandstorm-swept Arabian Gulf. The nearly $700 million Anzac frigate returned to Devonport yesterday after five months in the Gulf as part of Enduring Freedom, a multinational operation to defeat the Taleban in Afghanistan.
Its Seasprite helicopter was also sandblasted, with avionics, blades and engines showing signs of damage.
"We prepared as best we could by improving all the air-conditioning performance on board.
Te Mana, which was launched in 1997, now needed to go into scheduled maintenance, Commander Blair Gerritsen told The ."
Crew were astonished at how sand infiltrated much of the ship and the helicopter. At the end of the day, you've got to operate there and put up with the conditions.
It did not rain while they were in the Gulf and crew had fought a running battle to keep sand out. Its main radar bearings have heavy sand buildup, limiting the radar's range, and the ship's weapon systems must now be cleaned.
When the ship was washed, the runoff looked like mud. Their first real chance was on the way home, when they ran into monsoon rains going into Mumbai, India.
The extent of the problem is unlikely to be known till engineers have investigated the interior, but experts on board say the ship's operational life may have been shortened. Even the helicopter engines produced "sewage-looking water".
"Welcome home and enjoy tomorrow when you embrace family and friends and those you love.
Navy chief Admiral David Ledson flew to the ship near Waitangi to give each member of the company a general service medal and the Afghanistan medal in recognition of their role in Enduring Freedom."
The ship sailed into Devonport yesterday to a Father's Day welcome. We can all take a great deal of pride in a job well done. They ran up to the flightdeck, where Commander Gerritsen hugged them for the first time in five months. First on board for a tearful hug from dad were Commander Gerritsen's children Liam, 5, and Ingrid, 7.
On the dock a crowd of about 400 had turned up to welcome friends and family home.
"I've been looking forward to this," he said.