A prison van carrying several prisoners had to stop on State Highway 2 between Napier and Wairoa yesterday while its officers awaited help from police to stop a possible escape bid.
Police Eastern District communications manager Kris McGehan said the officers stopped the van at Tutira because of a "security issue" and police were called.
The "security issue" was not specified, but none of the seven prisoners in the northbound vehicle was able to get out, and there was not thought to have been any attempt to escape.
Police arrived and the van and its prisoners were able to continue.