Air New Zealand plane briefly grounded at Sydney Airport due to ‘security incident’

An Air New Zealand flight was grounded at Sydney Airport on Saturday night, reportedly due to an unknown security threat.

Flight NZ-247 arrived from Wellington at around 5.40pm with a tactical operations unit, paramedics and firefighters all called to the scene.

But within an hour, all emergency services were switched off and the airbus headed towards the terminal.

The flight, which carried 154 staff and passengers on board, was always scheduled to land in Sydney and there was no emergency landing situation.

After the plane was held on the tarmac, Air New Zealand confirmed it was aware of the possibility of a safety threat.

“We are working with local authorities and following standard protocols established for such incidents,” Capt. David Morgan, the airline’s director of operational integrity and safety, said in a statement Saturday night.

“The safety of all passengers and crew is our highest priority.”

An Australian Federal Police (AFP) spokesperson said AFP members at Sydney Airport responded to an incident on board an aircraft that was en route to the airport.

“Investigations continue,” said the spokesperson.

“There is no threat to the community.”

No other details were provided.