FALMOUTH – A series of emailed bomb threats were being reported in several states Thursday afternoon. No devices have been found. One of the threats was made to the Steamship Authority which issued the following statement:
The Woods Hole, Martha’s Vineyard and Nantucket Steamship Authority received two emailed bomb threats at approximately 1:00 p.m. today, December 13, 2018, referencing the Nantucket terminal and Mashpee reservations office. The threats demanded payment in cryptocurrency in exchange for not detonating an explosive device that was allegedly left at the facility named in the email.
Both the Nantucket terminal and the Mashpee reservations office were searched by Authority staff and local authorities and were deemed safe. Staff also performed searches of all of the Authority’s other vessels and facilities in accordance with the Authority’s emergency procedures, which are regularly reviewed and on which drills are regularly held. During those searches, an unattended purse was discovered on board the M/V Island Home while it was docked in Vineyard Haven. The purse was determined to be a lost-and-found item and will be returned to its owner; due to the discovery of this unattended bag, there was a brief delay in that vessel’s loading for its 2:30 p.m. departure.
The Authority is working with local, state and federal authorities to determine the source of the emailed threats. It is believed that the emails are linked to similar reports being received across the nation.
“We are grateful to our law enforcement partners for their quick response and for the ability to determine that there was no validity to the threat,” General Manager Robert Davis said. “We continue to work closely with the authorities and are maintaining our regular service. I want to assure our passengers that there is no ongoing threat and that we are handling this incident with the utmost diligence.”
