Greek authorities are searching the Israeli-operated cruise ship Crown Iris at the port of Syros, after an anonymous caller warned that an explosive device had been planted on its hull.
The Panama-flagged ship, operated by Mano Maritime, was preparing to sail for Haifa with 1,537 people aboard, 940 passengers and 597 crew members. According to Greek media, an unknown person contacted the captain directly over VHF marine radio and claimed a bomb had been placed on the underwater section of the ship. The captain alerted the Syros port authority.
Hellenic Coast Guard personnel searched the ship with a trained explosives-detection dog, while a private diver inspected the hull. Greek outlets, citing the Shipping Ministry, reported that the initial checks found nothing. A team from the Coast Guard’s Underwater Missions Unit is being sent from Athens to carry out a more thorough inspection of the hull.
Greek media also reported that authorities ordered passengers off the ship as a precaution. No explosive device has been found, and it is not yet known when the ship will depart.
The threat came on a day of heightened security around the ship’s visit. On Monday, Syros port authorities banned a planned protest against the Crown Iris. The ship has faced repeated pro-Palestinian protests at Greek ports since 2025, including a July 2025 incident at Syros that forced it to divert to Cyprus.
The incident follows a wave of bomb threats against flights to and from Israel in recent weeks.
