STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. — Several boats were canceled amid a large emergency response at the Whitehall Ferry Terminal in Manhattan Tuesday night, a witness told the Advance/SILive.com.
A suspicious package discovered in the terminal was found to be a “false alarm” after members of the NYPD Bomb Squad along with K-9 units were able to closely examine it, a spokeswoman for the NYPD’s Deputy Commissioner of Public Information was able to confirm.
According to a commuter who spoke with the Advance/SILive.com, the 9:30 and 10 p.m. ferries to Staten Island were canceled.
The cancellation led to a large crowd of commuters that could be seen forming in the vicinity of Whitehall Street.
While those in the crowd were peaceful, many were clearly “ticked off” and annoyed about not being able to board their usual boats home, according to the commuter.
The area was initially cordoned off with police caution tape, but officers began removing it and reopening the entrance to the terminal around 10:15 p.m.
The terminal was fully reopened to commuters just before 10:30 p.m. with the next ferry scheduled to depart for Staten Island around 11 p.m.
The Department of Transportation did not respond to a request for comment by the time of publication.
The NYPD's Bomb Squad could be seen at the Whitehall Ferry Terminal on Tuesday, June 10, 2025.(Photo courtesy of Teresa Wrobleski)
A look at the emergency response near the Whitehall Ferry Terminal in Manhattan on Tuesday, June 10, 2025.(Photo courtesy of Teresa Wrobleski)