US EditionFinland seizes vessel suspected of damaging undersea cable
Finnish authorities detained the cargo vessel Fitburg and its 14 multinational crew on suspicion of deliberately damaging a critical undersea cable linking Helsinki and Tallinn, officials said.
- On Dec 31, Finnish police seized the cargo vessel Fitburg after intercepting it in the Gulf of Finland and directing it into Finnish waters off Porkkala over suspected cable damage between Helsinki and Tallinn.
- Elisa detected a fault at around 05:00 on Wednesday and notified authorities, prompting a Finnish Border Guard patrol and helicopter to find the vessel dragging its anchor as police investigate suspected sabotage.
- A 132‑metre cargo ship, the Fitburg, was identified as the suspect; it sailed from St Petersburg to Haifa under St Vincent and the Grenadines flag, and its 14 crew members were detained.
- Cross‑border agencies are coordinating and Elisa said the damage did not affect domestic services because traffic was rerouted through alternative undersea connections, while physical repairs face delays due to adverse weather.
- Since 2023, analysts note at least 11 suspected acts in the Baltic Sea, with many experts linking these incidents to Russia and NATO officials warning of hybrid threats.
116 Articles
116 Articles
He's suspected of damage to submarine cables.
On Wednesday, Finland’s telecommunications operator Elisa reported damage to one of her submarine cables that connects with Estonia. The country’s authorities have confirmed the arrest of a ship anchored in the vicinity of the site of the damage, as well as its 14 crew members. In a statement published on its website, Elisa speaks of a “disturbation” on the cable, detected around 5.00 local time (4.00 Spanish peninsular time). “The police has an…
Finnish Authorities Detain Suspect Vessel Following Damage to Undersea Cable
Finnish authorities on Wednesday took control of a vessel they believe may have been responsible for damaging an undersea telecommunications cable running between Finland and Estonia. The suspect vessel may have dragged its anchor across the undersea cable. Telecommunications company Elisa initially detected a fault in one of its undersea cables running across the Gulf of Finland from the Finnish capital Helsinki to the Estonian capital Tallinn …
Coverage Details
Bias Distribution
- 49% of the sources are Center
Factuality
To view factuality data please Upgrade to Premium
