BC Ferries increases security after bomb threat

Last Updated: Sunday, July 29, 2007 | 11:29 AM ET

CBC News

BC Ferries increased security and a police investigation was underway Sunday, a day after a bomb threat was made against the company's vessels and passengers.

Thousands of summer travellers were stranded for up to six hours and the company was forced to cancel 21 sailings between terminals near Vancouver and Victoria.

Motorists wait in the ferry lineup at the Swartz Bay ferry terminal in Sidney, B.C., on Sunday. Thousands of travellers were stuck for hours on Saturday after a bomb threat led to cancellations.
(Deddeda Stemler/Canadian Press)

Sharon Besaroba was about to make the trip from Tsawwassen to Swartz Bay, a terminal on Vancouver Island, when the unexpected occurred Saturday afternoon.

"We were herded [into one area] awaiting further instructions. Then some steward, I'm not sure of his ranking, came into the cafeteria said, 'I won't lie to you. It could be a bomb. There's been something, a threat made, pretty vague and worrisome obviously.'"

She said the captain spoke over the public announcement system, saying that there had been a threat made against the vessel and its passengers.

BC Ferries president and CEO David Hahn said police reported a "credible bomb threat" was made by a man calling 911 from a pay phone at the Coquitlam Centre Mall around 3:30 p.m. 

One vessel, the Queen of New Westminster, returned to Tsawwassen and another that was ready to depart was halted. Passengers were confined to the terminal cafeteria before police gave them the go-ahead to leave. Hahn said ferries were able to return to limited service by 9 p.m.

BC Ferries has increased security at ferry terminals, but company spokeswoman Deborah Marshall wouldn't reveal the exact precautions being taken.

Police and bomb-sniffing dogs checked all passengers, four ferries, the terminal area and roughly 1,000 vehicles on land.

But finding the person who made the threat may be like looking for a needle in a haystack, said police spokeswoman Sharlene Brooks.

"Unless someone comes forward that has personal knowledge of the individual that may have made this call, identifying this suspect may be next to impossible," she said.

Hahn told CBC News that it's unlikely passengers will see airport-style screening on ferries.

"I don't think they'll see more spot checks," he said. "But most of the stuff will be quiet measures that hopefully won't interfere with the travel of our customers," he said, adding the company will ramp security up to "whatever it takes" if necessary.

A $50,000 reward is being offered by BC Ferries for information leading to the arrest and conviction of whoever called in the threat.

BC Ferries said full ferry service would be available Sunday morning, but there could be delays.

The Tsawwassen terminal is about a 40-minute drive south of Vancouver and is one of the ferry fleet's main terminals.

Ships sail from there to Swartz Bay, near Victoria, and Duke Point, near Nanaimo, as well as to several smaller islands off the B.C. coast.