Cutting cables in the Baltic Sea: Swedish police board a Chinese ship
Kyiv • UNN
Swedish law enforcement officials have received permission from China to inspect the Yi Peng 3 in a case of damage to submarine cables in the Baltic Sea. The vessel is suspected of deliberately damaging cables between Finland-Germany and Sweden-Lithuania.
Swedish police said on Thursday that they had boarded the Yi Peng 3 at the invitation of the Chinese authorities to investigate the damage to telecommunications cables in the Baltic Sea. This was reported by Reuters, according to UNN.
The Chinese bulk carrier was put on a wanted list in Sweden for questioning in connection with the damage to two submarine fiber optic cables in November and has been in nearby waters for a month.
Investigators quickly got on the trail of the vessel, which left the Russian port of Ust-Luga on November 15. An analysis of MarineTraffic data by Reuters showed that the ship's coordinates matched the time and place of the breach. Swedish police said on Thursday that they were on board the Yi Peng 3 only as an observer, while Chinese authorities were investigating.
“In parallel, a preliminary investigation into sabotage in connection with two cable breaks in the Baltic Sea is underway,” the police said in a statement.
The actions taken on board the vessel on Thursday were not part of a preliminary investigation led by Sweden, the police added.
They also pointed out that the Danish authorities facilitate the visit of a bulk carrier anchored in the Kattegat Strait between Denmark and Sweden.
Addendum Addendum
Cables in the Baltic Sea, one connecting Finland and Germany and the other connecting Sweden and Lithuania, were damaged on November 17-18. German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius said that the damage to the telecommunications cable, which runs under the Baltic Sea, was likely the result of sabotage.
The damage occurred in Sweden's exclusive economic zone, and Swedish prosecutors are investigating possible sabotage.
Representatives of Western intelligence agencies from various countries said they were confident that a Chinese vessel had caused the severing of both cables. However, they expressed different opinions on whether it was an accident or intentional. Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson called on the ship to return to Sweden to help the investigation.
Add
Donald Tusk proposes to create a “maritime police” to protect the Baltic Sea from Russian threats. The initiative came about after the recent damage to an undersea telecommunications cable between Finland and Germany.
