A man found aboard a boat stolen from Argosy Cruises in Seattle was taken into custody Thursday after the Coast Guard intercepted the vessel off the eastern coast of Marrowstone Island.
The man on …
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A man found aboard a boat stolen from Argosy Cruises in Seattle was taken into custody Thursday after the Coast Guard intercepted the vessel off the eastern coast of Marrowstone Island.
The man on board had made threats on Channel 16 of VHF-FM radio, saying he had explosives and hostages. Maritime traffic in the area was redirected from the area.
The incident began early Thursday morning, after the Coast Guard station in Seattle was contacted by an employee from Argosy Cruises who said one of their vessels, the Beaver, was stolen from the company's dock on the Seattle waterfront.
The Coast Guard began tracking the stolen work boat just before 8 a.m. as the vessel started heading north through Puget Sound.
The Coast Guard deployed 45-foot response boats from its stations in Port Angeles and Seattle. The 87-foot Coast Guard Cutter Swordfish, which is also based in Port Angeles, was sent to the scene.
Local and state authorities joined the effort after the radio reports of potential explosives and hostages came from the Beaver at 9:50 a.m. Thursday.
After locating the Beaver near Marrowstone Island, the Coast Guard found the suspected boat thief sitting on the vessel's stern. The man was contacted by the crew of the Coast Guard's response boat from Port Angeles, and they took him into custody.
The stolen vessel boat taken back to Seattle just before 4:30 p.m. for further investigation.
“As captain of the port, I’m proud of the decisive response by the Coast Guard and our interagency partners to successfully de-escalate a complex active threat to the Maritime Transportation System, quickly providing for the maritime safety and security of the boating public," Coast Guard Capt. Patrick Hilbert, commander of Coast Guard Sector Puget Sound, said in a press release.
"Today’s event highlights the critical importance of continued partnership and coordination with state, local and Tribal agencies to ensure we remain ready to respond to all threats and safeguard the waters of the greater Puget Sound region,” Hilbert added.
Officials said Friday that Coast Guard Investigative Services personnel and local police are continuing to investigate the incident.
