Avalon Airport near Melbourne was placed into lockdown early on Thursday, May 21, after a suspicious item triggered a bomb scare. The incident led to the cancellation of two flights and delays for others, as the police bomb squad rushed to the scene.
Bomb Squad Response
The Victoria Police Bomb Response Unit was called to the regional airport at approximately 6am after security screening flagged an item of concern. The airport's domestic terminal was closed, and a lockdown was enforced for several hours, ending at 11am.
One person was initially detained in connection with the incident. However, police later confirmed that the item was a laser hair removal device, which posed no threat.
Disruptions to Flights
Three flights were affected by the security alert. Two flights to Sydney were cancelled, while a flight to Brisbane was delayed. The international terminal remained unaffected, with passengers arriving from Bali landing shortly before 7am and an outbound Jetstar flight to Bali still scheduled for the evening.
An airport spokesperson stated: "Victoria Police have deemed the item is no longer a risk. The response demonstrated the vigilance of the screening and security processes, with precautionary measures taken immediately."
Passengers were advised to contact Jetstar regarding their flights, as delays were expected throughout the day.
