Federal and state authorities investigated the possibility there was a “dirty bomb” on a ship at a local terminal, but later gave the all-clear, reports say.
What happened?
Coast Guard officials say the FBI and other agencies were on-scene. The terminal was evacuated while the threat was checked out.
What is a “dirty bomb”?
A “dirty bomb” is made from conventional explosives and radioactive material. Fourteen agents were on board with radiation detection technology, WCSC says.
Found in container ship:
A Coast Guard statement says authorities were made aware at 8 p.m. of a potential threat in a container aboard the vessel Maersk Memphis, and a one nautical mile safety zone mentioned in one of the tweets above was established around the vessel.
Terminal evacuated:
“The Maersk Memphis is currently moored at Charleston’s Wando terminal, which has been evacuated while bomb detection units from federal, state and local law enforcement agencies investigate the threat,” the Coast Guard initially said.
Crew members safe:
The ship’s owner, the Maersk Line, a U.S. corporation, said in a statement to CBS News that all crew members were safe on shore.
Maersk says the Maersk Memphis is a container vessel built in 2007. The Coast Guard says a unified command was set up to oversee the coordinated response.
Area cordoned:
Authorities were seen taping off a ship. The Charleston County Sheriff’s Office, Hazmat and EMS crews were also on-scene.
Workers say they were told to leave the terminal at around 9 p.m. Boaters say they were also escorted off the water due to the situation.
Disclaimer: This video is intended for informational purpose only. This may not be construed as a news item or advice of any sort. Please consult the experts in that field for the authenticity of the presentations.
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Source: Live 5 News
