Saturday 5 September 2026
14 stories first reported this day, covered by two or more outlets
Qantas flight diverted to Christchurch after flames seen from engine
A Qantas flight from Queenstown to Sydney was diverted to Christchurch on Saturday afternoon following a suspected engine issue. Witnesses reported seeing flames and hearing loud bangs as the aircraft climbed after takeoff. The plane landed safely in Christchurch.
4 outlets · Fire at Kerikeri café next to oldest building deemed suspicious
A fire broke out in a storage shed next to the Honey House Café in Kerikeri on Friday night. Firefighters prevented the blaze from spreading to the nearby 204-year-old Kemp House. Police are now investigating the incident as suspicious.
4 outlets · Magnitude 4.9 earthquake strikes northwest of Paraparaumu
A moderate magnitude 4.9 earthquake struck 30km northwest of Paraparaumu at 6.34am on Saturday. The tremor occurred at a depth of between 26km and 29km. Over 21,000 people have reported feeling the shaking on GeoNet.
4 outlets · Person pulled from water near Wainui on Banks Peninsula
Emergency services responded to a water incident near Cape Three Points in Wainui around midday on Saturday. St John sent three units, including a helicopter, to the scene near Bossu Road. The condition of the person pulled from the water has not yet been confirmed.
3 outlets · Patient found dead in Waikato Hospital toilet
A patient in his 60s was found dead in a surgical ward toilet after being missing for up to five hours in mid-August. This is the second such incident at Waikato Hospital in two months. Health New Zealand has launched a review into the death.
3 outlets · Firefighters battle large factory fire in Onehunga
Fire crews responded to multiple calls regarding a factory blaze on Church Street in Onehunga on Saturday morning. Six fire trucks and a ladder appliance attended the scene, and while no injuries were reported, crews worked to extinguish hotspots. The fire was eventually put out after being reported around 8.22am.
3 outlets · Mother calls for mandatory e-scooter helmets after teen's crash
A 15-year-old boy is recovering in hospital after being hit by a ute while riding his e-scooter in Greymouth. The collision left the teenager with a fractured pelvis, internal bleeding, and memory loss. His mother is now calling for helmet laws, stating his helmet likely prevented more serious head injuries.
3 outlets · Crowds gather at Petone Beach to see leopard seal
A large leopard seal attracted onlookers at Petone Beach in Wellington on Saturday while resting on the sand. People including families and photographers gathered to watch the animal. A Department of Conservation ranger visited the site and put up warning signs.
2 outlets · David Seymour begins putting up election hoardings at midnight
ACT leader David Seymour started displaying election hoardings at midnight on Friday. This milestone marks the beginning of the permitted period for political parties to display billboards across most of the country ahead of the November 7 election.
2 outlets · Pedestrian seriously injured in Gisborne car crash
A pedestrian sustained serious injuries after being hit by a car on Lytton Rd in Te Hapara, Gisborne, around 3pm on Saturday. Emergency services attended the scene, and police have closed the road, advising motorists to avoid the area.
2 outlets · Cold front to bring heavy rain across South Island this weekend
A cold front moving across Aotearoa is expected to bring heavy rain and potential thunderstorms to parts of the West Coast, Southland, and Clutha. While the South Island faces severe weather, those in Hawke’s Bay and Gisborne are likely to experience better conditions over the Father’s Day weekend.
2 outlets · Mother and baby stranded after British Airways ticket error
Fleur Lonsdale and her one-year-old son were prevented from boarding a flight to Geneva at Auckland Airport in late May. The airline admitted to a mistake regarding her ticket, leaving the pair stranded during their trip to Europe.
2 outlets · Coroner calls for mandatory reporting of medically unfit drivers
An associate coroner has recommended that doctors be required to report drivers who are medically unfit. This follows the death of 51-year-old Jason Chapman, who died in November 2025 after a heart event caused his logging truck to crash on State Highway 1 near Culverden.
2 outlets · One person dies in Huntly motorcycle crash
A person died at the scene following a single-vehicle motorcycle crash on Semple Street in Huntly around 12.40am. The Serious Crash Unit has examined the scene and investigators are continuing to make inquiries into the incident.
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