The Swedish Prosecution Authority has seized a ship suspected of damaging a critical underwater fiber optic cable connecting Latvia and the Swedish island of Gotland. In a press release issued late Sunday, the authorities launched a criminal investigation into what they believe was a deliberate act of sabotage, though they have not yet disclosed the ship’s name or nationality.
Swedish newspaper Expressen reported that the vessel is the oil tanker Vezhen, registered in Malta and sailing from Russia at the time of the incident. Maritime analytics provider Marine Traffic confirmed that the ship is currently anchored off Karlskrona in southeastern Sweden.
The fiber optic cable, owned by the SJSC Latvian State Radio and Television Center (LVRTC), experienced disruptions in data transmission early Sunday. LVRTC suggested that the cable was likely severely damaged by an external force. The affected section lies within the Swedish economic zone, according to Swedish National Radio.
In response, LVRTC has assured the public that internet services will continue via alternative data transmission routes while repairs are underway. The cable, which rests on the seabed at a depth of more than 50 meters, will have its damage fully assessed once repair work begins.
Latvian Prime Minister Evika Silina held an extraordinary meeting with ministers and emergency services on Sunday to address the incident. She announced that Latvia is collaborating with North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) members and other Baltic Sea countries to investigate the sabotage.
The Latvian naval forces have dispatched a patrol boat to inspect the damaged site and have reached out to NATO allies for assistance. Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson confirmed that he has been in contact with Silina and promised that Sweden will provide \"important resources for the investigation,\" as reported by Swedish newspaper Aftonbladet.
This incident is part of a series of recent disruptions targeting undersea internet and energy cables in the Baltic Sea, highlighting growing concerns over the security of critical infrastructure in the region.
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Sweden seizes ship suspected of damaging Baltic undersea cable
cgtn.com
