# Bomb threat halts BC Ferries from 29Jul07



## Greymatters (29 Jul 2007)

In accordance with the Chapter 29 of the Copyright act...

Possible terrorist bomb threat against BC Ferries causes problems, full story here:
http://www.canada.com/victoriatimescolonist/news/story.html?id=eaa44625-b354-4a88-af96-084720fdbc92&k=61343

"Delta police received the bomb threat about 3:30 p.m., said B.C. Ferries president David Hahn. The call was made from a Coquitlam Centre mall payphone from a male using a "Middle Eastern" accent, he said.  Police felt the threat was "credible" and a decision was made to halt service in and out of Tsawwassen.  Service resumed around 9 p.m. at Tsawwassen for people already at the terminal. There was also a 10:16 p.m. sailing from Swartz Bay to Tsawwassen.  When the threat came in, the Queen of New Westminster, destined for Duke Point, had just left and had to turn back. The Queen of Vancouver, headed to Swartz Bay, was being loaded. Passengers were evacuated and bomb-sniffing dogs were sent to the scene.  An unattended backpack on the deck of Queen of New Westminster was the focus of concern, but RCMP believed the incident was broader than just the bag on deck, Hahn said.  Both ships, including every vehicle on board, had to be searched before they could sail, he said. Each ship has the capacity to carry more than 385 vehicles and 1,300 passengers and crew.  Another 1,000 cars in the Tsawwassen compound had to be searched before they were allowed to leave the terminal, he said."

Bit of a wake-up call for Vancouver and the upcoming 2010 Olympics...


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## medaid (29 Jul 2007)

Can you say a test for response?


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## career_radio-checker (29 Jul 2007)

The Ferry system is worse than going to the airport. You have to go at least 3 hours before your ferry departs and the slightest hick up in the system can shut the entire ferry service down. They need to overhaul the ferry system and start replacing the old boats they got running. Of course I am just another pissed off outsider with no understanding of how the Ferries function, but what's my opinion matter to the other hundreds of thousands pissed off customers dissatisfied with an overpriced service.


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## medaid (29 Jul 2007)

CRC... when was the last time you were in BC? Let alone the last time you had to take the Ferries to Vancouver Island? 

This is not a matter of Ferry operations. It had to do with a bomb threat, which was credible enough to mobilize the bomb detecting units. Even if we had faster ferries, and we had more ferries, I highly doubt that things would've been different. The RCMP would still have had to check ALL inbound and outbound traffic on BOTH ends. so regardless of how many ferries, if the other side wasn't clear, they wouldn't have sent a ferry over anyways. 

I don't understand how your last post contributed to the overall scheme of the thread?


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## career_radio-checker (29 Jul 2007)

2 years ago is when I last took a ferry -- to answer your question.

of course the threat warranted a response and cuddos to the RCMP for doing a good job. But as GreyMatter pointed out, this is a wake up call for 2010. With who knows how many people will show up. How easy it will be for a schmuck with a telephone to put a HUGE wrench in a system that already has trouble tripping over itself. In a way bomb threats are not only huge pain to deal with, they are a form of economic terrorism. 

Just saying even a major accidents on the 401 get cleared in a few hours, safety is paramount of course, but a mass of mad passengers stuck in their cars for 16 hours can present its own problems.

... Plus it's way too expensive.


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## medaid (29 Jul 2007)

Ah, now I get it. Indeed. There are many forms of terrorism available these days... many many forms...


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## double0three (30 Jul 2007)

Interesting, wasn't there just a bomb threat called in to the ferry that runs to Newfoundland as well?  Hopefully it's just a copycat, and not something more organized.


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## Greymatters (30 Jul 2007)

In the papers today, event is now listed as a hoax.

http://www.canada.com/victoriatimescolonist/news/story.html?id=77f49f42-9cd2-4736-b3b5-89254ffc0ade&k=49003


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## double0three (30 Jul 2007)

I wonder how they make the decision to classify it as a hoax?  Ahh well, chances are that it's just someone with nothing better to do than screw over thousands of people with vacation plans.


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## Greymatters (31 Jul 2007)

double0three said:
			
		

> I wonder how they make the decision to classify it as a hoax?  Ahh well, chances are that it's just someone with nothing better to do than screw over thousands of people with vacation plans.



The problem is who considered the threat 'credible' in the first place and why... but we dont get told that kind of information...


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## SoF (31 Jul 2007)

career_radio-checker said:
			
		

> The Ferry system is worse than going to the airport. You have to go at least 3 hours before your ferry departs and the slightest hick up in the system can shut the entire ferry service down. They need to overhaul the ferry system and start replacing the old boats they got running. Of course I am just another pissed off outsider with no understanding of how the Ferries function, but what's my opinion matter to the other hundreds of thousands pissed off customers dissatisfied with an overpriced service.



Very much agreed; the line ups, the cost, everything. Im due back in Victoria next Monday and it's going to take me all day to get back to base.


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## double0three (31 Jul 2007)

GreyMatter said:
			
		

> The problem is who considered the threat 'credible' in the first place and why... but we dont get told that kind of information...



Well unfortunately their standard operating procedures probably dictate they have to take all threats of that nature seriously, whether they think it's bullcrap or not.


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## Disenchantedsailor (1 Aug 2007)

Just think of the one time they don't take it seriously of the get go and the bloody thing gets alongside another in active pass before it blows up.


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