Finnish police detained a vessel after a key undersea telecommunications cable between Helsinki and Tallinn was damaged. The ship was found with its anchor chain lowered in Finland's waters while the damage occurred in Estonian waters; the vessel has not been named. Elisa, the Finnish operator, detected faults on the link, and police are investigating on aggravated criminal counts. The incident comes amid rising concern about threats to undersea infrastructure and NATO moves to strengthen protections.
Finland Detains Ship After Damage To Helsinki-Tallinn Undersea Cable
Finnish authorities have taken control of a vessel suspected of damaging a submarine telecommunications cable operated by Elisa, a telecommunications and digital services company, between Helsinki and Tallinn, on Wednesday, December 31. - Gulf of Finland Coast Guard (SLMV)/Anadolu/Getty Images
Finnish police detained a vessel on Wednesday after a critical undersea telecommunications cable linking Helsinki and Tallinn was damaged, authorities said.
In a statement, police said the ship suspected of causing the damage was discovered with its anchor chain lowered while in Finland's territorial waters, while the actual point of damage lay in Estonian waters. Finnish authorities ordered the vessel to stop and raise its anchor and subsequently took control of the ship. The vessel has not been publicly named.
Impact
The transnational fibre-optic cable connects the Finnish capital, Helsinki, with Estonia's capital, Tallinn. The Finnish telecom operator Elisa registered faults on the link, though officials have not disclosed the full extent of any service disruption.
Investigation and Context
Finnish police said they are investigating the incident under provisions covering aggravated criminal damage, attempted aggravated criminal damage and aggravated interference with telecommunications. Because the damage point is in Estonian waters, Estonian authorities are likely to be involved in follow-up inquiries.
Incidents affecting undersea cables have become more frequent in recent years, prompting concerns about both accidental damage and deliberate sabotage. Earlier this year NATO launched a programme aimed at bolstering protection for critical undersea infrastructure.
What happens next: Authorities will assess the damage, evaluate any service impacts, and pursue criminal inquiries. Cross-border coordination between Finnish and Estonian agencies is expected as the investigation proceeds.
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