Finnish authorities have launched an investigation into the rupture of a data cable under the Baltic Sea, following a similar probe by Swedish authorities into possible sabotage of that link and another cable.
The damaged C-Lion1 cable, connecting Finland and Germany, suffered a rupture on Monday, a day after a cable linking Lithuania and Sweden was also damaged. These incidents occurred off the Swedish islands of Oland and Gotland, respectively.
Germany's defense minister suggested on Tuesday that the damage may have been caused by sabotage, although no concrete evidence has been presented thus far.
Finland’s National Bureau of Investigation has initiated a criminal investigation into the rupture of the C-Lion1 cable, citing suspicions of aggravated criminal mischief and aggravated interference with communications.
Swedish police have also launched a preliminary investigation into suspected sabotage related to the two cable breaches. They expressed interest in a ship that was reportedly seen in the vicinity of the incidents, although the vessel is currently not within Swedish waters.
While the vessel in question was not identified, reports indicated that a Chinese-flagged ship named the Yi Peng 3 was present in the area during the cable ruptures.
Vessel tracking data from the Marine Traffic website showed the 225-meter long bulk carrier stationary off the coast of Denmark in the Baltic as of Wednesday afternoon.
The Royal Danish Navy has not yet responded to requests for comment regarding the situation.
