A Bermuda-bound flight that was at the centre of security breach in the US arrived on the Island six hours late yesterday evening.

Passengers who disembarked from the plane said they were thrilled to have finally arrived.

Federal officers and bomb-sniffing dogs were brought to Philadelphia International Airport yesterday morning to search US Airways flight 1070 after baggage handlers noticed a stranger was helping them load it.

The man was wearing a uniform but didn't carry the necessary security badge.

He turned and walked away when confronted and asked to produce identification, sparking a massive search of the area.

Mark Medvesky, Public Affairs officer for the US Immigration Customs and Enforcement (ICE) said there was no update to the situation.

"ICE has taken over the investigation but we will continue to work with out law enforcement partners. They was no risk or harm to the passengers. At this point, there's not update and it's an ongoing investigation."

Yesterday, all 102 passengers on the airplane were ordered to evacuate as local and federal Police searched the baggage and the tarmac.

The Airbus 319 was reportedly moved to a remote location and surrounded by emergency vehicles before it was unloaded for investigation.

Michael Cascio, a passenger said: " We weren't sure what was going on. Initially, they said we were going to have to leave all our belongings on the plane and go to a secure area. We went to the area and we were patted down. It was almost like going through very serious security.

"It took quite awhile but they did treat us very good. They gave us vouchers. At the end of it, it wasn't US Airways' issue."

Pamela Little said: "They did a good job telling us what was going on and dealing with it as best as they could. We just sat and talked. Some passengers went to the bar."

FBI spokesman Special Agent J.J. Klaver said yesterday afternoon that the plane had tested negative for explosives and that the incident was not believed to be terrorism-related.

A similar incident occurred at the same airport on October 4 last year. On that occasion, officials delayed a Bermuda-bound US Airways flight after an airport worker saw a man enter the belly of a plane with a rucksack and leave without it. Twenty pounds of marijuana were later found in the cargo hold.

Two days prior to that two Bermudians were arrested in separate incidents at the Philadelphia International Airport on drug trafficking offences.

Shakai Darrell, 25, and Sanchez Clayton-Smith, 20, were both arrested for ingesting cannabis in an attempt to smuggle the drugs from Jamaica to Bermuda.

Smith was sentenced to 23 months imprisonment after pleading guilty to possession with intent to supply. He received an additional 12 months for engaging in a criminal conspiracy.

Darrell pleaded guilty to drug possession and was sentenced to a minimum of two months and maximum of four months imprisonment.