Suspicious ‘white powder’ sparks emergency at Sydney airport as fire crews scramble to isolate a ‘golf ball-sized package’
- Emergency crews were called to Sydney airport on Monday over a suspect box
- The golf ball-sized package contained a white powder which has been tested
- A domestic flight from Sydney to Melbourne was delayed by more than an hour
A mysterious package discovered at Sydney airport has caused an emergency alert, as officials were drafted in to secure and isolate the suspicious parcel.
The package, understood to be the size of a golf ball, contained an ‘unknown white powder’ – which was urgently tested.
Emergency services rushed to the scene at the Qantas domestic terminal at around 12.20pm on Monday after the package was discovered on a flight from Sydney to Melbourne.
Drone footage showed a fleet of three fire engines on the tarmac near the runway.
Two firefighters in hazmat suits are then seen inspecting the area around the bottom of a Qantas plane.
Fire crews in hazmat suits (pictured) are seen inspecting the Qantas flight, due to fly from Sydney to Melbourne, on Monday
Several fire engines were called to the scene at 12.20pm on Monday at Sydney’s domestic terminal (pictured)
Sydney Airport told Daily Mail Australia the area was isolated.
Qantas has since confirmed the white powder was tested and turned out to be washing powder.
The flight, QF441, left Sydney after being delayed for just over an hour.
It comes as Qantas begins to reintroduce more of its routes, after slashing flight numbers since March.
A new host of health and safety guidelines have been brought in to ensure passenger safety as it looks to recommence flying after the coronavirus pandemic.
Contactless check-in, hand sanitising stations and social distancing rules are all required during pre-flight procedures, but not during the flight itself.
The airline is hoping for domestic flying to reach 40 per cent of its pre-pandemic capacity by the end of July.
Emergency workers in hazmat suits were seen inspecting the area where the package was found (pictured) on Monday