Passengers were evacuated from a cruise ship at Southampton docks on Saturday after police received a bomb threat, prompting a large-scale emergency response and a 200-metre cordon around P&O’s Ventura liner.
The alarm was raised shortly before midday, when officers were called to the port at 11:46am. Armed police quickly swarmed the area, shutting down access to the ship and halting all port operations while the scene was assessed.
One passenger, who was eating lunch on board when the incident unfolded, described the chaos as officers arrived: “The captain made an announcement that we were in the bomb zone and we had to get out. They stopped letting guests on board and closed off the port. Crazy stuff.”
The 28-year-old told the Southampton Daily Echo that he saw around nine armed police vehicles and some 20 officers carrying rifles as the situation developed. “We didn’t get off. The police stood everyone down because they cleared it, and it resumed normal operations. I am ok, but a lot of the guests are really frustrated, saying it’s ruined the start of our holiday,” he added.
Associated British Ports (ABP), which operates the docks, confirmed the incident in a statement: “We are aware of a security incident that occurred at the Port this morning, Saturday 9 August. Police attended the scene and have since stood down. Normal operations at the Port have resumed. We will support any ongoing enquiries by the relevant authorities.”
After searching multiple vehicles and conducting a thorough sweep of the area, police confirmed there was no danger to the public. A man has been arrested on suspicion of communicating false information and a public order offence.
Passengers and staff are now continuing with their planned voyages, though many expressed frustration at the disruption to their holiday plans.
