Update: Bomb Threat on Israeli-Owned Cruise Ship Cleared as Hoax as Passengers Reboard for Voyage Home

Trained dogs and special teams were sent to the Greek cruise port of Syros this morning after a bomb threat was reported.

Greek news outlets stated that a possible explosive device had been placed inside the cruise ship, Crown Iris, a 1,400 capacity ship operated by the Israeli cruise line Mano Maritime. The threat was reportedly given directly to the ship’s captain via radio, claiming an explosive device was attached to the hull beneath the waterline.

Crown Iris was scheduled to set sail for Haifa, Israel today, when the alert was triggered.  

940 passengers and 597 crew members waited as port security teams searched inside the ship’s hull, where Port Authorities were told a possible explosive device might have been placed.

The Hellenic Coast Guard deployed private divers to assist in checking the exterior of the ship, while a specialized team from the Coast Guard’s Underwater Operations Unit conducted a thorough inspection of the hull later in the evening (around 9:30 PM local time).

Fortunately, Hebrew media outlets reported that comprehensive searches yielded no suspicious findings or explosive devices, confirming the threat was a hoax.

Passengers and crew members were cleared to reboard, and tracking data shows the ship has left Syros and is headed to homeport in Haifa.

There have been several security scares today, and this incident comes after at least seven flights were disrupted because of bomb threats. All have been labeled as hoaxes so far.

Recent Tensions with Crown Iris

This isn’t the first time in recent days that the Haifa-based cruise ship has made headlines. Crown Iris is the only ship operated by the Israeli cruise line, and it has faced several protests when trying to visit Greek ports.

Some itineraries in Greece have been delayed or canceled because of pro-Palestinian protests, including right at the dock in Syros where the ship is currently docked.

In July 2025, a large group of protesters blocked the entire port, attempting to block passengers from disembarking. In that case, the captain decided to skip Syros altogether and reroute to Cyprus.

Since then, smaller demonstrations have taken place on other Greek ports like Rhodes and Piraeus, where local law enforcement intervened to make sure the ship didn’t have to cancel the stop.

Local Authorities in Greece have placed a ban on public demonstrations around the port just ahead of this latest visit from the ship, highlighting just how tense things have become.

Crown Iris is scheduled to arrive back in Haifa on November 5, 2026, returning from its 7-night round-trip sailing. The ship offers regular sailings out of the Israeli cruise port, ranging from 3- to 11-night cruises.

The ship’s next scheduled visit to a Greek port will be on November 9, when the ship will stop in Rhodes.

* This article has been updated.