St. John's International Airport closes due to 'suspicious package,' as RNC investigates

An Airport Authority Emergency Services truck blocks the road leading to the entrance to the airport on Thursday morning. (Ryan Cooke/CBC)

St. John's International Airport has shut down due to what it is calling a "suspicious package."

The closure happened Thursday around 6 a.m. NT, shortly after a pair of flights took off for Montreal and Toronto. In a statement on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter, the airport says the Royal Newfoundland Constabulary is "now taking control of the situation."

Would-be passengers wait in their cars for news of their flights as police and airport officials investigate the suspicious package. (Ryan Cooke/CBC)

"All traffic is being diverted at the roundabout at the entrance to the airport," the statement reads. "More information will be provided as soon as it becomes available."The next flights were scheduled to leave around 7 a.m. However, passengers are being asked to contact their airlines directly.

The rapid change caused the nearby cellphone parking lot — a waiting area for people who intend to pick up arriving passengers — and parking lots near other businesses to fill up.

Download our free CBC News app to sign up for push alerts for CBC Newfoundland and Labrador. Click here to visit our landing page.