Sweden has seized a ship after finding what appears to be damage to a data cable running under the Baltic Sea to Latvia. The Vezhen, flagged from Malta, is now anchored outside Sweden’s port of Karlskrona. Initial investigations suggested sabotage, but recent developments have thrown new light on the situation. Bulgarian shipping company Navigation Maritime Bulgare claimed that one of the ship’s anchors fell into the sea floor during high winds, and there was no malicious intent.
Latvia reported seeing three ships in the area where the damage occurred earlier this week. Less than a month ago, NATO launched its new mission, Baltic Sentry, to address repeated attacks on underwater cables in the region, some of which have been linked to Russia. While Russia has not been directly implicated, NATO is closely monitoring Moscow’s “shadow fleet” of ships without clear ownership, used for carrying embargoed oil.
NATO chief Mark Rutte emphasized that the incident highlights a growing concern for infrastructure security and stated that the alliance would respond robustly to future incidents, including boardings and seizures of suspect vessels. Finnish police are also investigating whether a Russian ship could have been involved in a similar cable sabotage last year between Finland and Estonia.
The damage to the Latvian state broadcaster’s cable has caused disruptions in data transmission services, but end users are unlikely to be affected. The case underscores the need for closer monitoring of activities in the Baltic region and highlights ongoing efforts to secure this vital waterway from potential threats.
Source: https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cqx9g5wwp89o