Another cargo ship cuts underwater cable in the Baltic Sea

Jan 27

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Craig Nigrelli Acnhor/Reporter

By Craig Nigrelli (Acnhor/Reporter), Michael Edwards (Video Editor)

A cargo ship, bearing a Maltese flag, is now anchored outside a port in Sweden. An investigation is underway after it was allegedly involved in a cable-cutting incident, in which a data cable that runs under the Baltic Sea from Sweden to Latvia was damaged.

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What has the investigation found?

Prosecutors said the initial investigation led them to believe it was sabotage. Various levels of Swedish law enforcement, including the military and the coast guard, are now investigating the incident. The focus appears to be on a damaged anchor from the ship.

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However, the Bulgarian shipping company which claimed ownership of the cargo vessel, Navigation Maritime Bulgare, said one of the ship’s anchors dropped to the sea floor in high winds and there was no malicious intent.

Who is responsible for the cable?

The cable belongs to Latvia’s state broadcaster, LVRTC. It said there had been disruptions in data transmission services, but most users would not be affected. Latvian Prime Minister Erika Silina said her country is now working with Sweden and NATO as part of the investigation.

This is just the latest in a series of such cable-cutting incidents in the Baltic Sea that started last year. Earlier this month, NATO launched its new Baltic Sentry Mission. It involves more aircraft, warships and drones patrolling in the area.

What is the international community doing?

NATO is also increasing its monitoring of Russia’s shadow fleet. Those are ships without official or clear ownership that are often used to haul oil products in an effort to circumvent international sanctions from Western countries. NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte said there is reason for grave concern over cable and infrastructure damage.

In another high-profile case, investigators from Finland were probing whether a Russian ship sabotaged an electricity cable in the Baltic, running from Finland to Estonia.

Tags: Baltic Sea, Bulgaria, Cable, Cargo ships, Communications, Internet, Latvia, Malta, Mark Rutte, NATO, Russia, Russia-Ukraine War, Sweden

[Craig Nigrelli]

A CARGO SHIP, WITH A MALTESE FLAG, IS NOW ANCHORED OUTSIDE A PORT IN SWEDEN AND UNDER INVESTIGATION AFTER ANOTHER CABLE CUTTING INCIDENT.
A DATA CABLE, THAT RUNS UNDER THE BALTIC SEA FROM SWEDEN TO LATVIA, WAS DAMAGED.
PROSECUTORS SAY THE INITIAL INVESTIGATION LEADS THEM TO BELIEVE IT WAS SABOTAGE. VARIOUS LEVELS OF SWEDISH LAW ENFORCEMENT ARE NOW INVESTIGATING THE INCIDENT, INCLUDING THE MILITARY AND THE COAST GUARD. THE FOCUS APPEARS TO BE ON THE SHIP’S ANCHOR, WHICH IS APPARENTLY DAMAGED.
HOWEVER, THE BULGARIAN SHIPPING COMPANY, NAVIGATION MARITIME BULGARE, WHICH CLAIMED OWNERSHIP OF THE CARGO VESSEL, SAID ONE OF THE SHIP’S ANCHORS DROPPED TO THE SEA FLOOR IN HIGH WINDS AND THERE WAS NO MALICIOUS INTENT.
THE CABLE BELONGS TO LATVIA’S STATE BROADCASTER, LVRTC. IT SAID THERE HAD BEEN DISRUPTIONS IN DATA TRANSMISSION SERVICES, BUT MOST USERS WOULD NOT BE AFFECTED. LATVIAN PRIME MINISTER EVIKA SILINA SAID HER COUNTRY IS NOW WORKING WITH SWEDEN AND NATO AS PART OF THE INVESTIGATION.
THIS IS JUST THE LATEST IN SERIES OF SUCH CUTTING INCIDENTS UNDER THE BALTIC SEA THAT STARTED LAST YEAR. EARLIER THIS MONTH, NATO LAUNCHED ITS NEW **BALTIC SENTRY MISSION** THAT INVOLVES MORE AIRCRAFT, WARSHIPS AND DRONES PATROLLING IN THE AREA.
NATO IS NOW INCREASING ITS MONITORING OF RUSSIA’S SHADOW FLEET. THOSE ARE SHIPS WITHOUT OFFICIAL OR CLEAR OWNERSHIP, THAT ARE OFTEN USED TO HAUL OIL PRODUCTS IN AN EFFORT TO CIRCUMVENT EMBARGOES FROM WESTERN NATIONS. NATO secretary general MARK RUTTE SAID THERE IS “ REASON FOR GRAVE CONCERN” OVER CABLE AND INFRASTRUCTURE DAMAGE.
IN ONE OTHER HIGH-PROFILE CASE, INVESTIGATORS FROM FINLAND WERE PROBING WHETHER A RUSSIAN SHIP SABOTAGED AN ELECTRICITY CABLE IN THE BALTIC, RUNNING FROM FINLAND TO ESTONIA. FOR MORE UNBIASED UPDATES, DOWNLOAD THE STRAIGHT ARROW NEWS APP