latest on Fox
WASHINGTON — A report of a bomb aboard a Turkish merchant ship Thursday forced the U.S. Coast Guard (search) to escort the vessel away from the port of Philadelphia and out into the sea off Delaware, senior Defense officials told FOX News.
The ship's master notified authorities about the possible bomb, officials said. The information was revealed after the captain refused to have portions of the ship searched by the Coast Guard.
Upon reaching a safe distance off the coast, officials expect to inspect the ship.
This particular vessel is well known to authorities and its prior movements had been tracked, senior Defense officials said.
Brett Bair said they had been tracking this ship..
Um...so basically, he told them they couldn't search his ship for contraband because there was a bomb onboard? Pfffft.
As to the refusal of search, I'd give the Captain ten minutes to agree to a search, or, if he doesn't want to agree, to allow the crew to abandon ship. At the end of ten minutes, a heavily armed boarding party would arrive. If there was any resistance to their coming aboard, sink the ship. If the boarding party comes aboard, and there is any problem in the seach, shoot the problem.
Which means it's either affiliated with a terrorist group, or involved in drugs/arms trafficking, or both. Very few alternatives.
And very brazen to try for a U.S. port.
This is one of the bad guys for sure. DoD doesn't track every commercial vessel.
This is one of the bad guys for sure. DoD doesn't track every commercial vessel.