Message boards are abuzz with the news that the Freewinds, the church's massive cruise ship and floating top secret training compound, has been sealed by Caribbean authorities. Its captain allegedly hid the presence of cancer-causing blue asbestos in the ventilation system, even as workers at a dry dock company refurbished the 40-year-old vessel.

The St. Martin newspaper the Daily Herald has allegedly printed the story, and a photo of the article, showing a date of April 28, 2008, is making the rounds on the Internet. Messages left at the editorial offices of the paper were not immediately returned. Reached via phone, a worker at the Curacao Drydock Company tells Radar that the ship has been docked and sealed and that a story about asbestos did run in the newspaper.

The boat is Scientology's main, if not only training center for those seeking rise to the high position of OT VIII. Equipped with a gym, a hospital, a cinema, and a disco, it's the party boat featured in the recently unearthed video featuring a boogieing Tom Cruise (video, via Gawker EXCLUSIVE below). There's no telling how many aspiring Scientologist grandmasters and Acapulco shirt-sporting, thetan-shedding vacations were exposed to the toxic asbestos dust.

An e-mail sent to a Scientology representative asking what will become of the Freewinds and seeking comment about the alleged cover-up of and exposure to the blue asbestos was not immediately answered.