Headline: Somija Demands Confiscation of Suspected Tanker in Cable Damage Case
Subhead:君 brach QueryLink href="#" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Parliament to Discuss EstLink 2 Cable Damage on Friday
In an unexpected turn of events, Finland’s electricity transmission operator Fingrid has filed a claim to seize the tanker suspected of damaging the EstLink 2 cable in the Baltic Sea. The Boat is currently being detained in Helsinki, pending investigations.
The tanker, "Eagle S," has been under scrutiny since the EstLink 2 cable, which connects Finland and Estonia, was damaged last week. The incident has sparked concerns about the security of critical infrastructure and the flow of information related to it.
The Finnish Transport and Communications Agency (Traficom) has announced that it will inspect the tanker to ensure its compliance with international conventions. Sanna Sonninena, director of maritime affairs at Traficom, stated that the inspection will include verifying the authenticity of the documents on board, examining the vessel’s technology, and assessing its operating methods. A visual inspection of the vessel will also be conducted, with the "Eagle S"’s crew cooperating in the process.
It is expected that this process will take several days. Sonninena assured that the crew will be involved in the inspection, but they will not be subjected to excessive scrutiny. Although this type of inspection is routine, it can sometimes lead to significant findings, as per Sonninena’s statement.
Traficom has stated that if any violations or shortcomings are found, they must be rectified immediately. The agency has the authority to suspend the vessel’s operation until these issues are resolved.
Finnish media outlets have reported that Traficom inspectors are already on board the "Eagle S," conducting the investigation. However, there is a possibility that the tanker may not meet all requirements, potentially leading to its suspension from service.
In response to this incident, members of the Finnish Parliament’s Defence Committee have called for further restrictions on the availability of information related to critical infrastructure. Jukka Kopra, the chair of the Defence Committee, acknowledged that past mistakes have permitted excessive openness, but he also noted that measures have been taken to mitigate current and future risks.
Kopra suggested that amending international maritime laws could be a solution, but achieving consensus could take several years. He emphasized the need for quicker solutions to prevent similar incidents in the future.
Mikko Savola, another member of the Defence Committee, has urged the government to present strict proposals to address this issue. Savola also highlighted the importance of NATO’s involvement in Baltic Sea security measures to prevent such incidents from recurring.
Notably, the Finnish Criminal Police have increased the number of individuals under suspicion in connection with the "Eagle S" case to eight. All suspects are subject to a travel ban and cannot leave the vessel. The investigation process may take several weeks, but the entire procedure could span several months.
Davits Vadatčkors, the captain of the "Eagle S," has stated that the vessel’s crew is cooperating with the investigation. He also expressed satisfaction with the cooperation between the vessel’s crew and the police.
Context:
Recent incidents of underwater infrastructure damage in the Baltic Sea have raised alarms. On December 25, 2024, the EstLink 2 electricity cable connecting Estonia and Finland was damaged. The "Eagle S," a tanker with ties to Russia’s "fleet of enu," is currently being held in suspicion of causing the damage. Security analysts believe that NATO countries’ critical infrastructure is a target of Russian hybrid warfare.
In mid-November 2024, two undersea communication cables in the Baltic Sea were severed, including one that connects Finland and Germany, and another that connects Sweden and Lithuania. The incident occurred in Swedish territorial waters. It is believed that a Chinese cargo ship, the "Yi Peng 3," may be linked to these incidents.
In 2023, the Balticconnector gas pipeline and the electricity cable connecting Estonia and Finland were both damaged in the Baltic Sea. The cause of the damage is believed to be a Hong Kong-registered container ship, the "NewNew Polar Bear," which dragged its anchor across the pipeline and cable.
In 2022, the Nord Stream pipelines connecting Russia and Germany were sabotaged in the Baltic Sea.
