Update: US military plane in Rotorua

The United States military jet at Rotorua Airport today.

The mystery of who is on board a US military plane at Rotorua Airport has been solved.

Representatives from the US congress are in Rotorua and other parts of New Zealand for several days on an environmental tour.

US Consulate General public affairs specialist Phil McKenna told the Rotorua Daily Post today the plane is a US Air Force C40 used for official travel of government officials.

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"Representatives from the US Congress are visiting New Zealand for several days to examine areas of interest to the US Congress' House Committee on Natural Resources, including energy and mineral production and export in Australia and New Zealand," Mr McKenna said.

He said it was a bi-partisan group headed by Representative Doc Hastings (Republican from Washington State), chairman of House Committee on Natural Resources.

"They are meeting with New Zealand Government representatives and private sector representatives in Auckland, Rotorua, and Taupo. The visiting delegation will focus on a range of topics, including natural resources."