Stowaway found on cargo ship heading to Boston taken into custody by federal authorities

Daniel Coates
·2 min read
3

A stowaway found on a British cargo vessel heading to Boston is now being held by Customs and Border Protection for processing.

An anonymous tip to Boston 25 News says the man was led off the ship at Conley Terminal in South Boston Monday morning. The video below shows the man escorted in handcuffs into a CBP vehicle.

The US Coast Guard confirmed they escorted the MV Hurst Point through Boston harbor alongside city and state police.

Thomas Kinton, former CEO of Massport, says stowaways found in Massachusetts are becoming more of a problem.

“It’s not common but it happens,” said Kinton.

Massport oversees major state airports and shipping facilities in the Boston area. Many international ships dock at Conley Terminal carrying goods from around the world for New England companies.

Kinton says all international vessels are inspected miles off the coast of Boston at an anchorage point.

“That ship is then boarded by security personnel, mostly federal,” he added. “They’re looking for certain anomalies.”

The identity of the stowaway and any charges are unclear.

The MV Hurst Point was traveling from Southampton, UK to Boston, according to VesselFinder. The cargo ship is believed to carry cars and trucks and is now headed to St. Helena in the South Atlantic Ocean.

Kinton says an investigation will now be launched into why the stowaway was on board, how they slipped by security, and where they came from.

He finished, “There’s a whole host of things to look at … because you want to stop it in the future.”

This is a developing story. Check back for updates as more information becomes available.

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