Chinese ship suspected in Baltic Sea cable sabotage
Operators of telecommunications cables in the Baltic Sea, which connect Sweden with Lithuania and Finland with Germany, have reported their repair. The damage might have been caused by the Chinese ship Yi Peng 3. The Swedish prosecutor's office is conducting an investigation.
6:24 AM EST, November 29, 2024
The operators announced the completion of repairs. According to Yle, the work on the sea floor has been completed, and the connections are now fully functional.
The crew of the Chinese ship Yi Peng 3 is suspected of causing the cable damage. According to "The Wall Street Journal," the ship might have deliberately dragged its anchor for over 100 miles, leading to the severing of the cables. The Swedish prosecutor's office is investigating this matter.
Suspicions towards the Chinese ship
The Chinese ship Yi Peng 3, which departed from a Russian oil port, is currently in international waters in the Kattegat Strait. It is being monitored by the Danish navy and the Swedish coast guard. The Prime Minister of Sweden, Ulf Kristersson, has requested China’s cooperation in clarifying the incident.
According to media reports, the Chinese container ship, which was transporting Russian fertilizers, dropped its anchor near the first severed cable between Sweden and Lithuania and dragged it across the seabed for over 100 miles (approximately 100 miles).
As a result, it might have also severed the second cable between Germany and Finland, and the dropped anchor noticeably reduced its speed. This could indicate that the incident was not accidental.
The ship turned off its transponder. After severing the second cable, it raised the anchor.
