USS Constitution closing to visitors

BOSTON – The USS Constitution, at 205 years old the world’s oldest commissioned warship afloat, will be closed to visitors indefinitely amid a standoff between the U.S. Navy and the National Park Service over security concerns and funding.

The Constitution will close to the public Monday, but it is hoped that it will open again in the next two weeks, U.S. Navy spokesman Petty Officer Pete Robertson said in a statement.

The Navy statement said the National Park Service has revoked funding for the ship, placing “the visiting general public at an unacceptable risk.”

A National Parks Service spokeswoman said she was surprised by the announcement and declined initial comment. Calls to Navy spokesmen were not immediately returned Friday evening.

The ship shut down after last year’s Sept. 11 terror attacks, and did not reopen to the public until Nov. 9.