‘Marine mischief’ sets off terror bells in New York harbor

Wednesday, 07 Aug, 2007 0

A Brooklyn artist is due to appear in court Aug. 28 after his homemade replica of a Revolutionary War submarine set off a wild terror scale in New York Harbor when it drifted close to the Queen Mary II.

The egg-shaped wooden sub – built by a Brooklyn artist and launched by a man who claims he’s a descendant of the Revolutionary War hero who designed the original – was hauled out of the water by a small army of police and Coast Guard officials

“I think I’ll take a break from the submarine business for awhile,” Brooklyn artist Duke Riley, 35, said after he was released from custody. “I think I’ll let it collect barnacles.”

Mr Riley built the plywood contraption in a friend’s wood shop with the idea that he would maneuver it as close as he could get to the QM2 and take some photos.

He thought he’d get a reaction – but the helicopters, police boats and machine-gun-toting cops were more than he bargained for.

“All hell broke loose,” said Danilo Parra, 22, who filmed Riley as the submarine bobbed within the luxury liner’s 200-foot security zone, towed by two of Riley’s friends in a rubber boat.

“We can best summarize today’s incident as marine mischief,” Police Commissioner Raymond Kelly said.

“I know I’ve scared some people and I know I wasted a lot of people’s time today, but also a lot of people were amused by it,” Mr Riley told the New York Daily News. “I don’t know if I regret it. I’m sure when I know how the judge reacts, I’ll have a better idea.”

Report by David Wilkening

David

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