VB 'Evacuation' at YSSY
Sydney plane passengers evacuated
August 26, 2004
PASSENGERS and crew on a flight arriving at Sydney Airport tonight were evacuated after a potentially hazardous substance was found on the plane.
A spokesman for Airservices Australia said 151 people, including six crew members, were evacuated from the plane, which had flown in from Melbourne around 6.30pm (AEST).
"An unknown substance was found on board the aircraft," he said.
"NSW Fire Brigade Hazmat teams are in attendance and investigating the substance, as are specialists from NSW Police as a precaution.
"It's being treated as a hazardous material alert."
The spokesman confirmed that the Boeing 737 was a Virgin Blue flight.
Airservices Australia initially investigated the incident before calling police and the fire brigades.
The spokesman could not say where the substance was located in the plane.
The passengers and crew were evacuated as a precaution and nobody required medical treatment, he said.
AAP