NEED TO KNOW
- A cruise ship was forced to evacuate after a man claimed he had an explosive device on board
- The incident took place while the vessel was in Southampton, England, on Aug. 9
- The 63-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of a public order offense and communicating false information
A cruise ship was forced to evacuate due to a bomb threat.
At around 11:46 a.m. local time on Saturday, Aug. 9, police were called to the Mayflower Cruise Ferry terminal in Southampton, England, after receiving reports of “a man claiming to be in possession of an explosive device,” Hampshire Police said in a statement obtained by PEOPLE.
Officers searched a large truck near the location, and ITV News reported that police formed a large barricade as they investigated the P&O Cruises ship Ventura.
Hampshire Police later confirmed that no explosive device was located during the search. “We are satisfied that there was no risk to the public,” they said.
Authorities said a 63-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of a public order offense and communicating false information. He was later released on bail, and he has a court hearing set for Nov. 8.
A P&O Cruises spokesperson said in a statement, per ITV News, “Due to an earlier police incident and in an abundance of caution, we made the decision to evacuate Ventura and the passenger terminal.”
“The safety of our guests, crew and port staff is our highest priority and we are grateful for the co-operation of the authorities, as well as everyone’s patience whilst the precautionary measures were in place,” the representative continued.
Never miss a story — sign up for PEOPLE’s free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.
In footage obtained byThe Mirror, armed police could be seen surrounding the cruise ship terminal as a man was handcuffed.
One passenger who witnessed the arrest told the outlet that he saw the man “being dragged out of his car by six armed policemen” with “tasers and guns.”
The eyewitness added that he saw staff “turning people away” from the cruise ship, while “a couple of thousand” were waiting to board the vessel.
The Southampton site where the search took place is run by Associated British Ports, according to ITV News.
A spokesperson for the company told the outlet, “We are aware of a security incident that occurred at the Port this morning, Saturday, Aug. 9. Police attended the scene and have since stood down. We will support any ongoing inquiries by the relevant authorities.”
P&O Cruises and Associated British Ports did not immediately respond to PEOPLE’s request for comment on Sunday, Aug. 10.
Read the full article here
