1,500 stranded at Greek port after bomb threat halts Israeli cruise ship

A bomb threat forced the evacuation of 940 passengers and 597 crew members from the Crown Iris on Tuesday, leaving more than 1,500 people stranded at the port of Syros, Greece. The vessel, operated by the Israeli company Mano Maritime and flying the Panama flag, was scheduled to depart for Haifa when the alert was received.

Greek authorities confirmed that an unidentified individual claimed an explosive device had been placed on the ship's hull. Coast guard personnel, assisted by a private diver and an explosives detection dog, conducted a thorough search of the vessel. A special coast guard unit was also deployed to the scene to manage the security operation.

Israeli Navy Chief Vice Adm. Eyal Harel coordinated with officials from the Shin Bet and Mossad to address the threat. A military source indicated that Greek security officials were handling the incident in coordination with Israeli partners. Initial inspections did not reveal an explosive device, but coast guard specialists were scheduled to arrive at 9:30 p.m. local time to perform additional checks before the ship could resume its voyage.

Passengers were temporarily moved off the ship while the investigation proceeded. According to one traveler speaking to the Israel Hayom news outlet, the crew distributed water and chairs to those waiting. Elderly passengers and children were housed in the lobby of a nearby hotel to stay warm during the delay.

The passenger described the atmosphere on the dock as calm. "All in all, they’re keeping their cool here," the passenger said. "It seems like someone was bored and decided to scare the port authorities rather than finding something better to do."

The incident occurred on the same day that at least seven flights in Europe were targeted by similar bomb threats. No explosives were found on those aircraft, and the disruptions caused airport delays. European officials have recently attributed various acts of sabotage and "hybrid attacks" to Russia and Iran, though both Moscow and Tehran deny involvement in a coordinated campaign.

Unidentified hackers also shut down refrigeration units in supermarkets across several European countries earlier in the week. Eric Schouten, head of the aviation security group Dyami, suggested that the pattern of low-cost disruptions fits the profile of state actors seeking to disturb Europe. "From railways to the food infrastructure that you see happening with the fridges being hacked and all kinds of other operations, it does fit the narrative of Russian state actors who want to disturb Europe," Schouten said.