The island during the evacuation. (Screengrab via ABC New York)
Hundreds of people are being evacuated off of Liberty Island after a suspicious/unattended package was discovered. Liberty Island is most famous for housing the Statue of Liberty. It’s among the most popular tourist attractions in New York City with around 3.5 million people landing on the island every year.
Here’s what you need to know:
1. Tourists Weren’t Told What the Evacuation Was About
Being evacuated from Liberty Island New York http://t.co/t4B6XwV9Sh
The call to evacuated the island came at 12:30 p.m. on April 24. Less than an hour later, a witness said that the evacuation appeared to have been completed. People on the island haven’t been told what the evacuation is about. The Statue of Liberty will be closed for the rest of April 24.
Liberty Island Evacuated….view from Ellis Island. http://t.co/WNJ9TeJV8j
Via loudspeaker, the crowds were told “Please cooperate ladies and gentlemen and step quickly through the gap (in the barricades) to the rear of the vessel. There is more seating available up top so please do not stop or hesitate on the gangway.” There are no injuries being reported as a result of the evacuation. AM New York reports that those who have arrived back in Manhattan were lined up to get refunds. Statue Cruises told Heavy:
As the authorized ferry operator of the Statue of Liberty National Monument and Ellis Island, our first priority is the safety and well being of all of our visitors. Officials have found a suspicious package at Liberty Island and are currently investigating the situation. As a precaution, we are currently postponing all service to Liberty Island until the investigation is complete.
2. A Bomb Threat Was Made to the Island
An NYPD Boat arriving at Liberty Island. (New Jersey Fire Alerts)
A witness reported seeing a SWAT team on the island. Members of the NYPD’s counter terrorism team have arrived on the island to complete full search. CNN reports that a bomb threat was phone into the island. The network says that the threat said the bomb was in a locker in the visitor’s area. ABC and NBC New York are both reporting that suspicious package was found on the island.
3. Liberty Island Was Closed For 8 Years After 9/11
Waiting to be evacuated off #libertyisland. Interesting. http://t.co/C0WAdbZRyB
The statue was closed after 9/11 until 2009. The island was reopened in 2004 but the statue remained closed for five more years. President Barack Obama’s Secretary of the Interior, Ken Salazar, announced in May 2009 that the statue would be reopened as a “special gift” to America.
4. The Last Terrorist Attack on the Island Was in 1980
(Getty)
Back in 1980, a bomb was detonated on the island’s museum with no injuries. No culprits were ever arrested but the FBI believed it was planted by Croatian separatists. The Feds thought they were trying to raise public awareness about the conditions of Croats living in then-Yugoslavia.
5. A National Park’s Service Spokesperson Said the Evacuation Was a ‘Precaution’
Liberty Island is run by the U.S. National Park’s Service. A service spokesperson confirmed the evacuation but didn’t say why, according to Gothamist. The spokesperson said the evacuation was a “precaution.”
