Note found on plane may have caused security emergency at Sydney airport

A note found on an Air New Zealand flight may have caused an emergency that saw a plane grounded for over an hour at Sydney airport.

Emergency crews rushed to Sydney International Airport in response to reports of a security incident on Air New Zealand flight NZ247 from Wellington, which landed about 5.39pm on Saturday.

WATCH THE VIDEO ABOVE: security scare on Air New Zealand flight.

Armed police, firefighters and ambulance were seen surrounding the plane from a safe distance as a cause for the security incident was investigated.

“About 4.50pm today, Australian Federal Police (AFP) members at Sydney Airport responded to an incident on board an aircraft that was en route to the airport,” an AFP spokesperson told 7NEWS.

“Upon landing, the aircraft was isolated at the end of a runway away from the airport’s terminals.

“A thorough search of the aircraft, as well as the luggage and all passengers on board, was undertaken and nothing suspicious was found.

“Investigations are continuing, the AFP will provide updates at the appropriate time.”

The plane was held on the runway for about an hour before making its way to the terminal.

One passenger reported that a note found on board may have caused the emergency.

“There may have been a note on the plane—that is what caused this—so we all sort of gathered the note had been picked up on the plane,” passenger Penny Nel told the NZ Herald.

Passengers were also reportedly taken to a room and told to line up with their luggage while police sniffer dogs carried out inspections, as reported by the Herald.

Another passenger told 7NEWS that they only found out there was a security incident on their plane when they checked social media while waiting on the runway.

“Lots of police and ambulance appeared on the side of the plane, and we wondered what was going on,” another passenger said.

“We really didn’t realise it was to do with us.”

Others said they were waiting on the tarmac for an hour before they were told there was a “security incident at the airport”.

Investigations are ongoing.