NZ media lose place in APEC motorcade, delay PM's flight home

  • 21/11/2016
(Newshub.)
(Newshub.)

Newshub reporter Jenna Lynch and a delegation of nine other Kiwi journalists are finally on their way home after a motorcade bungle almost saw them miss their flight back from the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) conference in Peru.

The media bus they have been driven around in all weekend somehow lost its place in Prime Minister John Key's motorcade, delaying their 7pm (local time) flight home.

The delegation eventually managed to fly out, just after US President Barack Obama.

Ms Lynch said as soon as they realised they had missed the motorcade it was "all hands on deck", as police officers frantically guided them through the traffic-filled streets of Lima.

"It was probably the most manic drive I've ever experienced in my life - there were so many close calls with other cars, the bus driver was beeping his horn really, really hard almost every three minutes," she explained.

"There were so many near misses - I can't count how many near misses there were."

But it wasn't enough to stop their flight from being delayed. Their problems were compounded by US President Barack Obama, who was given priority over the Kiwis as he and his numerous staff boarded Air Force One.

Newshub.