NewsSabotage fears rise as Swedish cable hit in Baltic Sea incident

Sabotage fears rise as Swedish cable hit in Baltic Sea incident

The Swedish Security Service has launched an investigation into sabotage following the failure of an undersea cable in the Baltic Sea. According to the website www.aftonbladet.se, a suspicious ship has been detained. It was sailing from the Russian port of Ust-Luga.

A NATO naval vessel is docked at Ofelia Plads in Copenhagen Harbor, Denmark, 26 January 2025. The vessel A803 will participate in NATO's enhanced mission in the Baltic Sea, called Baltic Sentry. The mission aims to protect critical infrastructure such as wires and cables on the seabed. EPA/IDA MARIE ODGAARD DENMARK OUT Dostawca: PAP/EPA.
A NATO naval vessel is docked at Ofelia Plads in Copenhagen Harbor, Denmark, 26 January 2025. The vessel A803 will participate in NATO's enhanced mission in the Baltic Sea, called Baltic Sentry. The mission aims to protect critical infrastructure such as wires and cables on the seabed. EPA/IDA MARIE ODGAARD DENMARK OUT Dostawca: PAP/EPA.
Images source: © PAP | PAP/EPA/IDA MARIE ODGAARD
Violetta Baran

On Sunday morning (Greenwich Mean Time) - as reported by Latvian media - an undersea fibre-optic cable laid on the Baltic Sea bed between the western coast of Latvia and the Swedish island of Gotland was damaged. According to the Latvian broadcaster LSM, the damage likely resulted from "an external impact."

There were disruptions in data transmission between the Latvian city of Ventspils and Gotland. The damages have not yet significantly affected service delivery in Latvia. The matter is being investigated by the authorities, and alternative methods of data transmission are being used - the media emphasise.

As reported by the Latvian Broadcasting and Television Centre (LVRTC), the cable is located at a depth of about 50 metres, and according to preliminary information, the location of the damage is within Sweden's exclusive economic zone.

Swedish authorities have launched an investigation into the matter. They suspect that the undersea cable in the Baltic Sea was intentionally damaged.

The investigation involves multiple institutions, including the National Operational Department of the Police, the Coast Guard, and the Armed Forces. Swedish authorities are conducting an intensive inquiry into the incident, according to prosecutor Mats Ljungqvist, who is leading the case, as reported by the website aftonbladet.se.

According to information from the site, authorities have already detained a ship suspected of sabotage. It is said to be the bulk carrier Vezhen, flying under the Maltese flag. The ship reportedly set sail on Friday morning from the Russian port of Ust-Luga in the Leningrad region.

The ship was seized based on a decision by the Swedish prosecutor's office. The authorities have not yet provided details of the case.

Related content

© Daily Wrap
·About us
·Terms of service
·Contact us
·Privacy policy
·

Downloading, reproduction, storage, or any other use of content available on this website—regardless of its nature and form of expression (in particular, but not limited to verbal, verbal-musical, musical, audiovisual, audio, textual, graphic, and the data and information contained therein, databases and the data contained therein) and its form (e.g., literary, journalistic, scientific, cartographic, computer programs, visual arts, photographic)—requires prior and explicit consent from Wirtualna Polska Media Spółka Akcyjna, headquartered in Warsaw, the owner of this website, regardless of the method of exploration and the technique used (manual or automated, including the use of machine learning or artificial intelligence programs). The above restriction does not apply solely to facilitate their search by internet search engines and uses within contractual relations or permitted use as specified by applicable law.Detailed information regarding this notice can be found  here.