When motorcades go wrong: Hollywood-style car chase through the streets of Lima for media

Keeping up in a Hollywood-style car chase, or left behind on the airport tarmac, PM John Key's media contingent experienced life in both the fast and slow lanes in Lima, Peru. Photo / Claire Trevett

Claire Trevett reports from Lima in Peru where Prime Minister John Key has been attending the annual Apec leaders' summit.

When motorcades go wrong.

The media van for PM John Key's motorcade into Lima managed to stay with the motorcade - but it was completely empty.

It left the media sitting on the tarmac at Lima's Airport.

Key's entourage was rushed through to make way for the PM of Japan, Shinzo Abe, leaving not time for the media to run back to their 25-seater.

So when it was time to return to the airport for the flight home, the media were sitting in the bus in plenty of time to catch the motorcade.

After waiting 25 minutes, Key emerged and the motorcade took off.

The media van did not.

Confusion over whether the ambulance was meant to be in front or behind left a gap - and the media van, ambulance and the chase police car all ended up missing the motorcade.

The police car did its best to set up a motorcade of two but the traffic had now been able to flow.

Chaos ensued and the adventure quickly turned into a perilous and frankly terrifying Die Hard-style chase through the streets of Lima in a 25-seater.

Barrelling through traffic amid sirens and horns with barely the hair of a chin between the next cars, the bus made it to the airport late but in one piece.

Once there the rather ashen-faced media looked out only to see US President Barack Obama's Air Force One and no sign of the humble RNZAF Boeing 757.

That meant yet another wait while Obama's motorcade came serenely through and he boarded and took off.