An Israeli-owned ship preparing to depart for Haifa from the Greek port of Syros in the Aegean Sea was searched by a bomb disposal team following a bomb threat, according to Greek newspaper Kathimerini.
The Panama-flagged cruise ship, Crown Iris, is operated by Mano Shipping, and had 940 passengers and 597 crew members on board, according to information obtained by Kathimerini.
According to reports in the Greek media, the warning was received directly by the captain via radio transmission, claiming that an explosive device was placed on the ship's hull beneath the waterline.
The Coast Guard's Underwater Missions Unit is expected to conduct a second, more thorough inspection after an initial search by the Port Authority found no suspicious objects.
Pro-Palestine protest targets ship on multiple occasions
The bomb threat came after local authorities banned a left-wing protest against the docking of the cruise ship at the Syros port.
Pro-Palestinian activists have repeatedly protested at Greek ports where the cruise ship has docked in recent years, including in Syros itself.
Evacuated passengers wait for bomb search to conclude
The ship was evacuated after the bomb threat was called in.
Ofra Avraham, one of the passengers, told Walla, "The evacuation was orderly. We have no complaints; so far, they are treating us very well."
"It is cold, but we are being taken care of, and morale is high," retired teacher Ofra Avraham from the Bosmat school in Haifa, one of the passengers aboard the Crown Iris, described the wait after the ship's evacuation on the Greek island of Syros. Passengers were evacuated in the middle of dinner and have since been waiting for an update regarding the possibility of returning to the vessel and continuing their voyage to Haifa.
On the pier, passengers sat wrapped in blankets brought down from the ship, with a buffet set up for them. Crew members also brought down chairs and distributed water, while many passengers were directed to a nearby building to seek shelter from the strong winds.
"They took us out; they evacuated us in the middle of dinner," Avraham told Walla. "Water was waiting for us, and they brought chairs outside from the ship. They brought most of the people inside a closed building because there is a terrible wind."
According to her, the ship was scheduled to set sail as early as 4:30 p.m., but only about two hours later did she and her companions notice the departure was delayed. "We were at a lecture, so we did not pay much attention. At six thirty, we started to realize that we had not actually moved," she described. "We still went to the dining room, and they started serving food, but suddenly the captain announced that the ship had to be evacuated. They covered all the food, and we left all the tables."
Avraham emphasized that there are many elderly people among the passengers who require seating and shelter. "I am 69 years old, so I am still among the younger ones, let us put it that way," she said. She noted that an effort was made to assist them: "They really cared; they brought down blankets. Look, this is the golden age cohort here."
Some passengers head into town, 'not afraid'
While many passengers remained in the building adjacent to the ship, Avraham and others headed into town. She made her call to Walla from there after finding an internet connection that let her contact her family. "I came to the city center now because there is Wi-Fi here," she explained. "I want to speak with my children, because they are all hearing the news from Israel, and I know it has already been published in many places."
Going into town also let them buy food after dinner was interrupted. "By chance, we also found a supermarket that was open until nine, so we managed to buy some food, because we are hungry," she said.
The morning in Syros began with a "Free Palestine" reception: A pro-Palestinian demonstration took place in the city center, where, according to Avraham, a large Palestinian flag was raised. However, she described it as a small and quiet protest in the presence of a heavy police force. "There were more police officers than protesters," she said. "We were not afraid or worried at all, and no one confronted them."
For Avraham, the scenes were reminiscent of a previous cruise she took a year ago. According to her, stones were thrown at her bus during a visit to Crete. This time, she stressed, the feeling is different: even after the evacuation, she is not afraid to walk around the city. "We have no fear whatsoever. There is a huge police presence," she said.
According to her, passengers were told they could walk around the city and return to the ship at 11:30 p.m. At the time of the conversation, she still did not know if they would actually be allowed to return at that hour. "Let us see what happens as the night progresses," she said. Her main concern is that the delay will drag on and postpone their arrival in Haifa.
In the meantime, she is keeping her spirits up. "We have no complaints; they are treating us very well so far," she concluded. "The disembarkation was orderly. They were completely fine."