In a significant development that could impact regional communications and security, Sweden has seized a ship suspected of damaging an underwater fiber optic cable linking Latvia and the Swedish island of Gotland, according to a press release from the Swedish Prosecution Authority issued late Sunday.
The authority announced the launch of a criminal investigation into suspected serious sabotage but refrained from disclosing the ship's name or nationality.
Local media reports, including Swedish newspaper Expressen, have identified the vessel as the oil tanker Vezhen, registered in Malta and sailing from Russia. Maritime analytics provider Marine Traffic confirmed that the ship is currently anchored off Karlskrona in southeastern Sweden.
The owner of the cable, SJSC Latvian State Radio and Television Center (LVRTC), reported detecting disruptions in data transmission early Sunday. They suggested that the cable was likely seriously damaged by an external force, with the affected section lying within the Swedish economic zone, as reported by Swedish National Radio.
\"Since the cable runs on the seabed at a depth of more than 50 meters, the character of the damage will be established once repairs are started,\" LVRTC stated, assuring that internet service would be provided via alternative data transmission routes in the meantime.
The incident has prompted a swift response from regional authorities. Latvian Prime Minister Evika Silina convened an extraordinary meeting with ministers and emergency services on Sunday. She announced that Latvia is collaborating with the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) and Baltic Sea countries to investigate the incident. The Latvian naval forces have dispatched a patrol boat to inspect the site and have reached out to NATO allies for assistance.
Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson told Swedish newspaper Aftonbladet that he has been in contact with Prime Minister Silina regarding the issue, promising that Sweden would provide \"important resources for the investigation.\"
This event adds to a series of recent disruptions to undersea internet and energy cables in the Baltic Sea, raising 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
