Suspect may face piracy charges after Seattle ship goes missing

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A man could face charges of piracy or grand theft after he allegedly commandeered the Victoria Clipper IV from where the vessel was docked in Seattle.

Company president Darrell Bryan called the U.S. Coast Guard to report the errant ship after noticing it leave the dock early in the morning. The ship, one of four vessels that operates from Pier 69 in Seattle, was not scheduled to sail on Sunday.

That call triggered a response that included teams from the Coast Guard and Seattle Police, along with a tug operator that was dispatched to put a line on the ship, which was adrift by mid-morning.

By the time the incident was resolved, the bomb squad and helicopter units had also been called.

Police negotiators contacted the man and eventually a tactical team boarded the ship and arrested the suspect, according to a statement Sunday from the Seattle Police Department.

The incident took place in Elliott Bay, a horseshoe-shaped bay that is part of Puget Sound.

Investigators are looking into how the man was able to board and start the ship. In media reports, Mr. Bryan said the vessel is not locked, because it is in a secure area, but that the wheelhouse should have been locked.

Mr. Bryan also said he is interested in finding out whether the person had marine experience, as the vessel is difficult to operate.

The boat was to be towed back to port and the suspect booked into King County jail to face potential charges of piracy or grand theft of a vessel.

Seattle police say the man told them he wanted to take the boat to West Seattle.

Scheduled sailings were not affected by the incident.

The ship came close to running aground at one point but that was averted by the tug putting a line on the ship.

According to marine web sites, the Victoria Clipper IV is 40 metres long and was built in 1993.

Victoria Clipper runs a catamaran ferry service between Seattle and Victoria.