Australia and New Zealand send evacuation flights to New Caledonia

Australia and New Zealand say they have received clearance to send planes to New Caledonia to pick up travellers stranded after unrest shut down the international airport.

Australia is deploying two planes on Tuesday to evacuate some of the 300 of its citizens who have registered for assistance in the French Pacific territory.

The first of "a series" of proposed flights will also leave New Zealand and bring about 50 people home, the government in Wellington said.