CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla.,None — A Carnival cruise ship was forced to stay off-shore due to a Sunday morning bomb threat that turned out to be a hoax.
The Carnival Sensation received the bomb threat early Sunday morning as the ship was returning to Port Canaveral after a three-day cruise in the Bahamas.
The ship stopped about four miles off shore and Carnival officials notified the US Coast Guard, FBI, Brevard County Sheriff's and Brevard County Fire Rescue.
Law enforcement boarded the ship and after conducting a search, determined the threat was a hoax, as no bomb was found.
The Carnival Sensation was cleared to proceed to Port Canaveral at about 10:45 a.m.
According to a statement released by Carnival Cruise Lines, a bomb threat was reported to the ship by a guest who claims another guest made the threat. Both guests were interviewed by law enforcement and the suspect accused of making the threat was arrested. The suspect has been identified as 31-year-old Ibrahim Zarou from Leesburg, Virginia.
Approximately 3,470 passengers and crew members were aboard the Sensation at the time of the threat.
Stay tuned to wftv.com and Eyewitness News for further updates on this story.
WFTV
