HELSINKI (CHATNEWSTV) — Finnish authorities have detained the Eagle S oil tanker, flagged in the Cook Islands, over suspicions of damaging the EstLink 2 submarine power cable and two additional cables connecting Finland and Estonia, officials said Tuesday.
Law enforcement boarded the tanker Thursday Morning, citing “grounds to suspect” its involvement in Wednesday’s damage to undersea cables in the Baltic Sea, according to Finnish authorities.
“We believe that the tanker is part of the Russian shadow fleet,” a Finnish customs service spokesperson told Reuters, without providing further details.
The Finnish Border Guard escorted the vessel into Finland’s territorial waters as investigations continue, officials said.
The damage to the EstLink 2 cable, which transmits electricity between Finland and Estonia, prompted an immediate probe by Finnish authorities. Fingrid, Finland’s electricity grid operator, said two vessels were near the cable at the time of its sudden shutdown.
The incident has raised concerns about the security of critical infrastructure in the Baltic Sea, with investigators focusing on potential sabotage amid heightened regional tensions.
