Birmingham Airport has today temporarily suspended operations due to an “aircraft security incident”.
A Birmingham Airport spokesperson said earlier: “The aircraft landed safely and all passengers and crew disembarked.”
“All customers planning to travel should proceed to the airport and check in as normal.”
The Aer Lingus flight, which was heading to Belfast, took off at around 2:52 p.m. and began turning around in the sky at 3:06 p.m., according to flight tracking website Flightradar24.
The plane landed at Birmingham Airport at 3:24 p.m.
Video from the scene showed multiple emergency vehicles on the runway as the plane landed.
Moments later, what appeared to be passengers and crew members were seen exiting the plane in single file, and two white buses arrived to take them away.
An Aer Lingus spokesperson told Sky News: “We can confirm that the undeclared items found on Emerald Airlines' Aer Lingus regional flight EI3647 from Birmingham to Belfast today did not pose a safety risk. ” he said.
“Our teams are currently working to attend to the affected passengers.”
West Midlands Police said specialist officers, including a dog unit, searched the plane and the incident was dismissed as a “very well-intentioned false alarm”.
The force said there was nothing suspicious about the items.
The airport reopened around 6 p.m.
However, a number of flights scheduled to depart from Birmingham tonight have been delayed or cancelled, according to the airport's website.
It is unclear whether these delays are due to the incident.
Rail disruptions were also expected until 7pm as all lines between Birmingham New Street and Coventry were closed due to the incident at the airport.
Read more from Sky News:
Dubai airport diverts arriving flights
Heathrow Border Force personnel attacked
The route has now been reopened, but trains may continue to be suspended, delayed by up to 50 minutes, or detoured, JNR said.
There is also a rail replacement bus service between Coventry and Northampton.
Guests wishing to travel to Birmingham Airport are advised to travel via Leamington Spa.
(c) Sky News 2024: Birmingham Airport suspends operations due to aircraft 'security incident'
