Police Looking Into Cleat Sawed Off Disneyland Boat

Anaheim police are investigating a docking cleat aboard Disneyland’s Mark Twain River boat that had been sawed off to see if the damage was intentional.

The river boat, which is undergoing a major overhaul, has been closed to park patrons since October.

The cleat “appears to have been sawed, but we don’t know if it was part of the renovation process or if it, in fact, has been tampered with,” Police Lt. John Haradon said Friday. “We are talking to people and examining the cleat itself. It certainly is not a threat to any guests because the attraction has been closed.”

Police said workers discovered Friday morning that the cleat had been sawed off at its base. The cleat is on the port side of the boat and is used to moor the boat during its non-operating hours. Police said all of the cleats are scheduled to be removed during the attraction’s overhaul.

Cleats, two-pronged metal pieces used to moor boats, became an issue after a Christmas Eve accident at the Columbia Sailing Ship. A metal cleat snapped off the boat when a dock worker tried to tether the Columbia to the dock. It flew into the crowd, killing a Washington state man and injuring his wife. The worker also was injured.