31 May 2017 | 04:53 PM UTC
Australia: Operations resume at Melbourne Airport June 1 /update 1
Limited operations resume at Melbourne Airport in the early hours of June 1 after the airport was placed on temporary lockdown due to a security incident; expect flight disruptions
Event
Limited flight operations resumed at Melbourne Airport (MEL) at approximately 02:30 (local time) on Thursday, June 1, following a security incident on a Malaysia Airlines plane. The plane was forced to make an emergency landing after a passenger attempted to storm the cockpit and claimed to have a bomb. According to media reports, police have arrested the suspect and all other passengers safely disembarked from the flight. No injuries were reported and it is unclear if the passenger in question actually had any explosives in his possession. Expect residual flight disruptions at MEL.
Context
MEL was placed on lockdown after the Malaysia Airlines flight was forced to land at approximately 23:41 on Wednesday, May 31. Flights arriving at MEL were diverted to other airports while the police detained the passenger.
Advice
Individuals traveling to or through MEL are advised to confirm their flight reservations before departing for the airport and to contact their airlines for more information. Travelers in Melbourne are advised to confirm their flights before leaving for the airport.
