Package investigation shuts down Edmonds ferry for two hours

Published 1:30 am Sunday, April 30, 2017

EDMONDS — The Edmonds-Kingston Ferry Route was out of service for about two hours Sunday afternoon while a bomb squad investigated a suspicious package.

Washington State Ferries announced around 2 p.m. that the route would be shut down until further notice. The route went back into service just before 4 p.m.

Crew members spotted an odd bag on the Puyallup when the ferry docked in Edmonds between 1:30 p.m. and 2 p.m., said Ian Sterling, public information officer with the state ferries. The bag appeared to have wiring attached to or inside of it. They reported the bag and called police. A bomb squad was sent to examine it.

Investigators determined the bag was not a threat, the U.S. Coast Guard said.

The other ferry on the Edmonds-Kingston route, the Spokane, was redirected to Colman Dock in Seattle during the investigation, then back to Edmonds afterward. The suspicious bag caused hours-long delays for ferry passengers.