Melbourne airport terminal closed due to security threat

A domestic terminal of the Melbourne Airport was closed Friday due to a security alert.

According to the spokeswoman for the airport, Terminal 4, which is specifically for Tigerair, was closed and evacuated at 9 p.m. after the alert was received, leaving several flights of the company disrupted.

"We are responding to a security alert that's directed specifically at Tiger Airways at Melbourne Airport," Xinhua news agency quoted the spokeswoman as saying.

Except the flights of Tigerair, all other flights were operating normally, the airport said.

Currently, the nature of the threat is unknown, but according to the spokeswoman, no bomb squad team was at the airport.

According to a source at the airport, the Australian Federal Police and Victorian police officers are conducting security checks at the scene.

It was not clear how this incident would affect the ongoing AFC Asian Cup football tournament in Melbourne. Australia defeated Kuwait 4-1 in the event opener at Melbourne Rectangular Stadium Friday night.