NZ's Dunedin Airport Closed Due to 'Suspicious Package', Flights Disrupted

Dunedin Airport in New Zealand has been closed after a suspicious package was found. According to conflicting reports, the package was reported to be on the airfield and in "a navigation outbuilding."

Police and bomb squads have been deployed to the scene to find out the nature of the package.

"Police are at the scene and specialist teams have been deployed to determine the nature of the package," the statement issued by the police at 9.55 pm local time (6 am GMT) said.

According to New Zealand's RNZ radio, two flights have been turned back from the airport.

The incident comes as the country's emergency services are in a state of high alert following a deadly mosque attack earlier this week.

The violent shooting in the mosques rocked Christchurch on Friday, leaving 49 killed and dozens injured. New Zealand's Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern called the shooting a terrorist act, saying it was the country's "darkest day."

A total of three people were detained in the wake of the attack, including the 28-year-old suspected shooter, Australian national Brenton Harrison Tarrant, who had explained his motives by his anti-Muslim and anti-migrant views in a manifesto published before the attack.

READ MORE: New Zealand Shooter Planned to Continue Attack When Police Caught Him — PM

On Saturday, a court in New Zealand ruled to remand the suspected shooter in custody until April 5, while the police said they expected further charges to be brought against him.