Update 3/17/2018 2:30 p.m. EST
Dunedin police determined that the suspicious package found at Dunedin Airport was a "hoax object." They are looking into who left the package.
Dunedin Airport has since reopened.
New Zealand is on high alert after a gunman killed 50 people worshipping in two mosques earlier this week. So it's no surprise that Dunedin Airport closed down temporarily on Sunday after a suspicious device was discovered.
The gunman of the attack is believed to have lived in Dunedin, New Zealand, and police are being cautious by shutting down the airport to examine the suspicious device on the airfield.
"Dunedin Airport is currently closed," a statement said. "Police are at the scene and specialist teams have been deployed to determine the nature of the package."
Earlier, an Air New Zealand staff member spoke anonymously to the AFP, saying that the terminal building hadn't been evacuated. However, it seems now the entire airport has been closed, staff was sent home and the bomb squad has been called in to examine the package which was reportedly discovered in a "navigation out building."
Only a handful of flights were expected to arrive in the late evening, though according to FlightAware at least one, Air New Zealand flight 691 from Wellington, circled over the airport for an hour before having to return to the origin airport.
It has been six hours since the airport closed and canceled all flights, and it's still unclear what the package is or what police have discovered.
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