KEY POINTS:
A New Zealand couple who had been holed up in an upmarket Mumbai hotel targeted by terrorists have been freed.
Vinka and David Clement got out of the Oberoi Trident Hotel safe and well late tonight NZ time, a Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesman told NZPA.
Another New
Zealander caught up in a second hotel targeted by terrorists - the Taj Hotel - had been confirmed safe.
Militants stormed a series of high-profile targets late on Wednesday in India's financial capital, including a landmark restaurant, the main train station and a charitable hospital for women and children.
They have killed more than 130 people and seized scores of hostages, targeting Britons and Americans.
Mumbai-based businessman Darshan Shetty, who works for New Zealand internet security business SMX, said he felt things were starting to return to normal despite the continuing stand-off between militants and Indian troops.
"I spoke to some people today and it looks like everyone is going to go back to work," he told NZPA.
Mr Shetty flew out of Mumbai yesterday morning but has a return flight booked for Sunday.
"I guess I'll know closer to Sunday night how the situation is but at the moment it looks like it's coming to an end.
"India is a place for life, work doesn't stop, people just get on with it," he said.
Mr Shetty said most hotels in Mumbai had security checks and metal detectors so the attacks came as a surprise.
"I think people are shocked because an attack like this has never happened, people just going around with guns and shooting at random, but people are also quite surprised at how much explosives were actually taken into these hotels," he said.
"There might have been either a huge lapse in security or there might have been a few staff in the hotel who were part of the terrorist group."
Prime Minister John Key has expressed sympathy to his Indian counterpart over the attacks.
"Last night through the High Commission in New Delhi, I sent a message to Prime Minister Singh to express New Zealanders' condolences and sympathy for the shocking attacks that took place in Mumbai.
"We join with others in the world in expressing our abhorrence at these terrorist acts. As a good friend of India it is important at a time like this that we rally around to provide support."
- NZPA
