Chinese ship suspected in Baltic Sea cable sabotage
Telecommunication cable operators in the Baltic Sea, connecting Sweden with Lithuania and Finland with Germany, have announced that repairs are underway after potential damage caused by the Chinese ship Yi Peng 3. The Swedish prosecutor's office is currently investigating the incident.
29 November 2024 11:33
The telecommunication cable operators in the Baltic Sea have completed repairs, linking Sweden with Lithuania and Finland with Germany. According to the PAP, the work on the seabed is finished, and the connections are now fully operational.
The Chinese ship Yi Peng 3 crew is suspected of damaging the cables. According to the Wall Street Journal, the ship may have intentionally dragged its anchor for over 100 miles, severing the cables. The Swedish prosecutor's office is investigating the matter.
Suspicions about the Chinese ship
The Chinese ship Yi Peng 3 departed from a Russian oil port and is currently in international waters in the Kattegat Strait. The Danish Navy and the Swedish Coast Guard are monitoring it. Sweden's Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson has requested China's cooperation to clarify the incident.
Media reports suggest that the Chinese container ship 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 (about 160 km).
As a result, it may have also cut the second cable between Germany and Finland, and the dropped anchor noticeably reduced its speed. This suggests that the incident might not have been accidental.
The ship turned off its transponder. After severing the second cable, it raised the anchor.
