On December 30, 2024, Finnish authorities stated that an undersea cable connecting Finland and Estonia in the Baltic Sea, along with four telecommunications cables, had reportedly been damaged by a vessel transporting Russian oil. Police found traces of the ship’s anchor dragging along the seabed for tens of kilometers.
Last Thursday, the Eagle S tanker registered in the Cook Islands was boarded and inspected by Finnish police and Coast Guard officials as it had entered Finnish waters. The detained crew members are currently being questioned.
Since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022, there have been consecutive incidents of damage to undersea cables, telecommunication lines, and natural gas pipelines in the Baltic Sea. Baltic countries remain on high alert due to these events.
Last Friday, NATO announced plans to strengthen deployments in the region.
Power grid operators reported that the 658-megawatt Estlink 2 cable between Finland and Estonia was severed last Wednesday noon, leaving only the 358-megawatt Estlink 1 connecting the two countries. Estlink 2 may not be operational again until August next year.
Finnish authorities suspect that the Eagle S vessel caused the damage to the cables by dragging its anchor on the seabed.
Sami Paila, the Tactical Director and Detective at the Finnish National Bureau of Investigation, stated in a release that investigators have identified the “dragging tracks” but have not yet found the lost anchor.
Paila added, “The dragging tracks extend for tens of kilometers.”
Footage taken on Friday of the Eagle S showed the ship missing its portside anchor.
Finnish customs believe that the aging tanker is part of a “shadow fleet” used by Russia to evade Western sanctions on its oil exports.
The Kremlin stated on Friday that the vessel detained by the Finnish government has no connection to Russia.
Russia has also denied any involvement in damaging the infrastructure in the Baltic Sea.