A Finnish court ordered the seizure of an oil tanker suspected of damaging key telecommunications and power cables in the Baltic Sea, the Finnish public broadcaster Yle reported Monday.
The vessel, Eagle S, which flies the Cook Islands flag, is believed to have damaged the EstLink 2 electricity cable linking Finland and Estonia, as well as telecommunications lines in the Baltic, on Dec. 25.
Finnish customs officials suspect Eagle S is part of Russia’s “shadow fleet” — ships carrying Russian crude oil and petroleum products that are embargoed over the full-scale invasion of Ukraine.
According to Yle, the Helsinki district court ordered the indefinite seizure of the ship, citing potential liability for damages. The tanker is currently being held near the Finnish capital.
The claim was filed by Fingrid and Elering, the Finnish and Estonian owners of EstLink 2, along with telecom cable owner Elisa. They are seeking damages from Caravella, a United Arab Emirates-based company that owns the Eagle S.
Earlier this month, the Helsinki court rejected Caravella’s request to lift the seizure order. Finnish police said they discovered a trail from the ship’s anchor extending several dozen kilometers along the seabed.
Finnish authorities have also banned nine of the Eagle S’s 24 crew members from leaving the country.
The damage to EstLink 2 follows a series of similar incidents in the Baltic, including damage to Swedish telecommunications cables in October.
Last month, NATO announced plans to strengthen its military presence in the Baltic Sea region, and European politicians have increasingly linked disruptions affecting underwater infrastructure to a Russian “hybrid war” against the West.
However, the Washington Post, citing anonymous U.S. and European intelligence sources, reported Sunday that the incidents involving commercial ships damaging cables with anchors were likely accidents, rather than acts of Russian sabotage.
AFP contributed reporting.
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