A Chinese ship linked to the recent severing of two undersea cables in Swedish territorial waters has departed, Sweden’s coast guard said on Saturday. The Yi Peng 3 had been anchored off Denmark’s coast since November 19 and was found to be in international waters. According to ship tracking sites, the vessel steamed north out of the Kattegat strait and lifted anchor.
The investigation into the cable cuts, which took place on November 17 and 18, has led some to suspect sabotage linked to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. European officials have expressed concerns that the incident may be related to Russian activities in the region. However, China has rejected these claims as “absurd” and “laughable”.
China has been invited by Sweden, Germany, Finland, and Denmark to join an investigation into the cable cuts, with Denmark playing a facilitating role in hosting meetings between the countries. The ship’s crew was questioned during the investigation, which aimed to gather information about the alleged anchor damage that may have caused the cable cuts.
The Swedish Accident Investigation Authority expressed interest in hearing from the crew about the incident, but noted that their jurisdiction over foreign vessels is limited. The investigation led by Chinese authorities has been described as an “observer role” for Sweden, allowing them to participate without taking any investigative measures.
China’s cooperation in the investigation was requested by Sweden after the cable cuts were reported, with Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson stressing that there was no accusation of sabotage or wrongdoing against China. The incident has added to tensions around the Baltic Sea since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, when a series of underwater blasts ruptured Nord Stream pipelines.
Source: https://www.channelnewsasia.com/east-asia/chinese-ship-linked-severed-baltic-sea-cables-sets-sail-4820931