MARROWSTONE ISLAND — A man was arrested Thursday after he had allegedly stolen a boat near Marrowstone Island and claimed he had a bomb on board, U.S. Coast Guard Petty Officer Diolanda Caballero said.
The man was arrested and taken into Coast Guard custody, she said.
“He was making threats to public safety” Thursday morning, Caballero said, adding “there were presumably explosives on board.”
The State Patrol Bomb Squad checked out the boat and found no explosives n board after the stolen vessel was taken to shore in Seattle at about 4:20 p.m. for further investigation, Caballero said.
The Seattle Police Department and Coast Guard Investigative Services personnel are continuing to investigate the incident, she said.
No identification for the man was available.
The Coast Guard gave this account:
An employee from Argosy Cruises had contacted Coast Guard Sector Puget Sound watchstanders at about 7:50 a.m. Thursday to report one of the company’s vessels, Beaver, had been stolen.
Sector Puget Sound watchstanders immediately began to track the stolen vessel as the operator made his way northbound.
Coast Guard Stations Port Angeles and Seattle launched 45-foot Response Boat-Medium crews, and the 87-foot Coast Guard Cutter Swordfish and crew diverted to the scene.
At 9:50 a.m., it was reported the person aboard the stolen vessel used a VHF-FM radio on channel 16 to relay threats of explosives and hostages.
Seattle Vessel Traffic personnel redirected maritime traffic from the area.
Coast Guard units arrived on scene at about 9:05 a.m. After speaking to the person and assessing the situation, the Station Port Angeles RB-M crew approached the vessel and took the man into custody.
