Statue of Liberty evacuated after suspicious package found in bomb threat

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Liberty Island evacuated by boat around 12:30pm Friday, officials said
Bomb threat made by 911 who said 'they would blow up the statue'
Police dog unit sniffed out potential explosive in locker on island
But a full security sweep determined that it was a false alarm
Area was deemed safe at 4:30pm, but island remained closed
2,700 tourists were removed from the island; had tickets refunded

By Kieran Corcoran For Dailymail.com and Associated Press

Published: 12:33 EST, 24 April 2015 | Updated: 16:38 EST, 24 April 2015

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The Statue of Liberty was evacuated Friday afternoon in the wake of a bomb threat, which was ultimately found to be a hoax.

Some 2,700 tourists were rushed off Liverty Island by boat operators just after midday Friday after a 911 caller said he was 'going to blow up' the landmark.

Police sniffer dogs then seized on a locker on the island, which they thought contained something suspicious.

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Evacuation: Tourists were rushed off Liberty Island today following a bomb threat resulting in a suspicious package being found. This Instagram image shows hundreds of tourists waiting at a pier to catch a boat to safety

Sniffing out trouble: Twitter user Rick Borgmeyer uploaded this photograph of an officer patrolling Liberty Island with a dog

Visitors to Statue of Liberty explain what happened

The NYPD's bomb squad was scrambled, but a full search of the island finally failed to find anything explosive.

An official all-clear was given around 4:30pm, by which time the park's 4pm closing time had passed, so visitors were not allowed back.

Tour operators said that all 2,700 evacuees were offered refunds, and that the park would be open as normal Saturday.

Social media was flooded with images of the mass exodus from the island, in New York's harbor. The operation appeared to take around an hour.

Nobody was injured, according to officials. The island was deemed safe again around 4:30pm, but tourists were not allowed back because the island was almost closed for the day.

Twitter user Karla Chavez, who appears to have been visiting from California, posted video on the social network of large crowds waiting in line for a boat off the island.

Crowds evacuated from Liberty Island and Statue of Liberty

K9: NYPD captain Mark Iocco posted this image of his sniffer dog investigation on Liberty Island

Unloading: Tourists are pictured at Battery Park City making their way off the boat following the bomb threat

Evacuated: The Statue of Liberty, pictured in this 2007 file photo, was evacuated Friday after reports of a suspicious package

Another, Rick Borgmeyer, who appears to be one of the last to be evacuated, posted a picture of an NYPD boat pulling up at the island, and police dogs sweeping the perimeter.

All visitors to Liberty Island go through security checks before being allowed on the boats, which consist of bag searches and the use of metal detectors, National Parks Police confirmed.

There is also a secondary screening on the island for anybody who wants to go inside the statue. It is unclear where on the island, and at which stage of security, the suspicious locker was.