Cable damaged in the Baltic Sea off the coast of Latvia: sabotage is being investigated
Port of Liepaja (Illustrative photo: gmk.cente)

In Latvia, on the western coast of the Baltic Sea near the city of Liepaja, damage to an optical cable belonging to a private company was discovered. An investigation has been launched, said prime Minister of Latvia Evika Silinya.

According to her, Latvian users were not affected by the incident.

"I am in touch with the Crisis Management Center and the responsible services while the State Police has launched an investigation. The circumstances are being investigated," Silinya said.

How to reports LRT, the National Crisis Management Center of Latvia, is in close contact with Latvian services regarding the incident. The connection with possible damage to the submarine cable between Lithuania and Latvia (Šventoji – Liepaja) is not ruled out. However, it is too early to draw conclusions.

Latvian police said delfi.lv portal that the likely culprit was a vessel that hit a faulty cable. It then changed course and crossed the operational – now damaged – cable.

on January 4, the police, coast guard and other law enforcement agencies boarded the vessel, which is currently in the port of Liepaja. However, neither the vessel nor its crew have been detained, but they are cooperating with Latvian law enforcement.

A criminal case was opened on the grounds of intentional destruction or damage to a public electronic communications network or its equipment.

  • december 31, 2025 in the Gulf of Finland again the cable is damaged between Finland and Estonia. The police detained the Fitburg, a ship flying the flag of St. Vincent and the Grenadines, which was sailing from Russia to Israel.
  • on January 2, 2026, the police interrogated the crew members of a vessel suspected of damaging a cable in the Gulf of Finland.