The oil tanker Eagle S, suspected of damaging a power cable in the Gulf of Finland, has been brought to the mainland by the Finnish Coast Guard. The vessel is anchored in the port of Kilpilahti in Porvoo, near Helsinki, under the escort of two Finnish tugs.
The Estlink 2 cable was damaged on Wednesday. Finland suspects the Eagle S of dragging an anchor across the seabed.
The Finnish Coast Guard contacted the crew, who cooperated from the outset, according to authorities. A helicopter operation was conducted, and Finnish troops boarded the ship.
According to shipping website Lloyd’s List, the tanker was equipped with devices to spy on NATO naval and air operations. Finland believes the tanker, flying the Cook Islands flag, is part of Russia’s ‘shadow fleet’ of aging tankers used to evade sanctions.
The ship has been seized by Finland, and its twenty crew members from India and Georgia were required to stay on board upon arrival in Porvoo. Some crew members are considered suspects, while others are witnesses, according to Finnish police.
Repairs to the Estlink 2 cable could last until late July, anticipated to cost tens of millions of euros, according to Finnish grid operator Fingrid. Last month, two other cables in the Baltic Sea were damaged, with the Chinese bulk carrier Yi Peng 3 suspected of sabotage.
NATO has decided to increase its military presence in the Baltic Sea due to these incidents, as announced by Secretary General Rutte yesterday. The Kremlin stated that the seizure of the ship by Finland causes little concern for the Russian government.
Russia has consistently denied involvement in cable damage in the Baltic Sea.
Source: NOS