Finnish Police Release Underwater Images of Damaged Oil Tanker, Claiming Evidence of Ship’s Anchor Damage to Undersea Cable
The Finnish police have released underwater images of the allegedly damaged hull of the oil tanker “Eagle S”, which was seized and detained by Finnish authorities on December 25. The ship, owned by the Caravella company in the United Arab Emirates, was intercepted by a Finnish patrol ship, Turva, in the vicinity of the damaged undersea cable, EstLink 2.
According to the police, the damage to the ship’s hull was caused by its anchor, which they claim is evidence that the ship damaged the EstLink 2 undersea cable. The police also reported finding dozens of kilometers of scratch marks on the seafloor, which they attribute to the ship’s anchor.
Seven crew members, who are being treated as suspects, have been barred from leaving Finland, and the rest of the crew is being interviewed by investigators. The ship’s crew, consisting of Georgian and Indian nationals, reportedly cooperated with the investigation without resistance.
The EstLink 2 undersea cable, which connects Finland and Estonia, was damaged on December 25, and the incident has sparked concerns about the potential for a “shadow fleet” of Russian ships operating in the region, as suggested by some European media outlets.