Whenuapai closed
From the "New Zealand Herald” this morning
Whenuapai mystery
Unannounced construction work closes airport overnight
Herald staff reports
Published April1, 2003, 6:55 AM NZST
Aucklands Whenuapai Airport, the city's only remaining Airbase, was closed early today after construction vehicles apparently dug up large portions of the runway.
At about 6 a.m., the view from the top of the Auckland Skytower showed a series
of large, X-shaped portions of concrete carved out of the runway's center.
Large, illuminated "X" signs marked either end of the runway.
Earlier this morning, several backhoes, large trucks carrying floodlights and
generators and other equipment moved along the north-to-south runway of the
airport. Many of the vehicles had yellow emergency lights flashing.
A police squad car blocked the access road to Whenuapai. An officer
said the airport and houses nearby were closed, and no pedestrian or vehicle
traffic was being allowed in. He would not comment on the activity.
A night operations supervisor at the Civil Aviation Authority said she was not notified of any airport closing.
As of 6 a.m., representatives of the city Department of Aviation and the CAA had
made no announcement about the work.
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