New Zealand / Emergency Services

Wellington Phoenix and Hurricanes evacuated after bomb threat

13:00 pm on 19 December 2024

Photo: RNZ / Cole Eastham-Farrelly

A sports institute in Upper Hutt has been evacuated after it received a threatening message.

The New Zealand Campus of Innovation and Sport in Trentham, which has training facilities and accommodation for high performance athletes, said it was working with police on site.

"In the interest of the safety of all on campus, while the risk is low - everyone onsite has been evacuated and we expect an all clear for business as usual early this afternoon," it said.

Police said they did not believe there was any immediate safety risk, but it " these sorts of threats are taken seriously".

"Enquiries remain ongoing into the source of the message," police said.

NZCIS general manager Jamie Tout said the Wellington Phoenix football team and Hurricanes rugby team were training at the facility at the time.

Both teams made alternative arrangements to continue training elsewhere, he said.

"Our teams adapted well and worked together to come up with Plan B."

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