(Reuters) - A "suspicious item," which turned out to be a camera, caused a United Airlines flight bound for Geneva, Switzerland, to be temporarily diverted to Boston on Tuesday night, according to officials.

Flight 956 from Newark, New Jersey, landed safely at Logan International Airport in Boston at about 9:10 p.m. so authorities could investigate a "suspicious item," Massachusetts Port Authority spokesman Richard Walsh said.

Passengers were taken off the plane and state police scanned the aircraft, Walsh said.

The troublesome item turned out to be a camera, which was x-rayed and cleared, Massachusetts State Police Trooper Thomas Murphy said. Passengers reboarded the plane, which took off again for Switzerland at approximately 10:30 p.m., Murphy said.

A spokesperson for United Airlines was not immediately available for comment.

(Reporting By Mary Wisniewski; Editing by Greg McCune and Stacey Joyce)