Melbourne Airport Partially Closed for Four Hours Due to Suspicious Package

Melbourne. Melbourne's Avalon Airport had to be partially closed for four hours on Thursday. The airport was gripped by panic after a laser hair removal device and a hot chocolate container in a passenger's luggage were suspected to be a bomb.

Police were called around 6 am after a suspicious package was found during security checks at the airport. Internal flights were affected, while international flights operated normally.

Police said that upon inspection by the bomb disposal team, the package was confirmed to contain a laser hair removal device and a box for a hot chocolate container. A Melbourne resident carrying the package was initially taken into custody but was later released. The airport reopened after about four hours.

Acting Inspector Nick Ubergang of Victoria Police said the situation was prolonged because the person did not cooperate sufficiently at the beginning. He said, 'If he had cooperated earlier, the situation could have been resolved sooner.'

An airport spokesperson said that immediate precautions were taken due to the vigilance of the security process. The airport was closed for some time keeping in mind the safety of passengers and staff.

Due to the incident, some passengers were forced to wait in the parking area. Some complained about the lack of toilets, food, and other basic facilities. Due to this incident, two internal flights operated by Jetstar Airways (one going to Sydney and another coming from Sydney) were cancelled, while some other flights were delayed.