Airport shut down after plane's wheel malfunction

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New Plymouth Airport has been shut down after a departing aircraft lost steering in its front wheel this afternoon.

The Air Nelson aircraft was left stranded on the runway with a full load of passengers due to the malfunction, airport manager Kevin Kill said.

"The airport is closed until such time as we can move the aircraft.

"They're sending engineers up from Nelson via helicopter and we hope to have it moved by somewhere around 6pm tonight.

"The plane was departing. We had to ferry the passengers off the plane by bus, back to the terminal."