Cable damaged again in the Gulf of Finland. Police detained the vessel

In the Gulf of Finland, the vessel again damaged a submarine cable – a telecommunications cable from Elisa connecting Helsinki and Tallinn. The vessel was detained and inspected, according to department helsinki Police Department.

The cable malfunction was discovered on the morning of December 31, and the company notified the border guard. During the investigation of the damage to critical subsea infrastructure, the St. Vincent and the Grenadines-flagged Fitburg vessel was identified as a possible suspect, transmits Yle.

The place where the cable was damaged is located in the exclusive economic zone of Estonia. And the vessel was found in the exclusive economic zone of Finland, at anchor.

The Finnish authorities took control of the vessel and conducted an inspection, reported president of Finland Alexander Stubb.

The police are currently investigating the incident on criminal charges of allegedly causing grievous harm and aggravated interference with telecommunications, the police said. Finland is working closely with the Estonian authorities and the international community.

• on December 25, 2024, the Estonian-Finnish marine cable Estlink 2. Its repair may last until next summer.
• on December 26, the Finnish authorities detained the oil tanker Eagle S, which is part of Russia's shadow fleet, for suspected damage to the submarine electric cable with Estonia.
• NATO has promised to strengthen the presence in the Baltic Sea after an incident involving damage to submarine cables.
• In January 2025, Sweden announced the detention of the vessel on suspicion of damaging a cable in the Baltic.
• In February, it was reported that in the Baltic Sea damaged russian submarine cable.