St Charbel’s College in Punchbowl, Sydney, received an anonymous bomb threat on Friday morning as students arrived for the school day.

The school has not yet provided further details on the incident.

Students and staff of the school have been evacuated and helicopters are circling the area.

Oz Arab Media has reached out to St Charbel’s College and NSW Police for further updates.

Communication was sent to parents informing them not to pick up their kids so as not to confuse the headcount. They have also been told that everything is under control and everyone is safe.

10:40 AM Update:

A spokesperson from NSW Police confirmed that a police operation was carried out at a school on Highclere Avenue, Punchbowl.

“A building was evacuated as a precaution; however, all people have now returned. There is no threat to the community,” the spokesperson said.

The school has not yet issued a statement regarding the incident.

12:27 PM Update:

Media release received from the college stated the below:

This morning, at the beginning of the school day, St Charbel’s College received a bomb threat. In line with our emergency response procedures, the school immediately went into an emergency evacuation.

NSW Police and emergency services were called to the scene and promptly arrived to ensure the safety of our community. A full and thorough sweep of the College, Monastery, and Church buildings was conducted. The site was cleared and deemed safe by NSW Police around 10:00 AM.

Police and emergency services remained on-site until all students were safely returned to the College grounds. The police investigation into the incident is still ongoing.

We take all such matters extremely seriously. The safety and wellbeing of our students, staff, and community members remain our highest priority.

We extend our sincere gratitude to NSW Police and emergency services for their swift and professional response. We also thank our dedicated College staff for calmly and efficiently leading the evacuation process, and we are deeply grateful to our parents and the wider community for their support and understanding during this time.

1:48 PM Update

The Minister for Watson, Tony Burke, also commented on the incident:

“It’s unthinkable to make a threat against a school. I’ve spoken to the principal, Father Anthony, and I’m glad that everyone is safe.”

No further information is available at this stage.