Suspects Blame Technical Faults for Baltic Sea Cable Breaches https://t.co/1T8za2yUe0
The captain and two officers of an oil tanker accused of severing five undersea cables when their vessel left Russia and sailed through the Gulf of Finland in late 2024 will stand trial in Helsinki on Monday. https://t.co/yjAKQdmGL0
Suspects blame technical faults for Baltic Sea cable breaches https://t.co/rF00BGsXCv
A Finnish court on Monday opened the trial of the captain and two officers of the oil tanker Eagle S, accused of cutting five undersea power and telecommunications cables while sailing from a Russian port through the Gulf of Finland on 25 December 2024. Prosecutors allege the Cook Islands-flagged vessel deliberately dragged its 11-tonne anchor, severing the Estlink 2 power link between Finland and Estonia and four internet lines. They are seeking prison terms of up to 2.5 years for aggravated criminal mischief and interference with telecommunications, as well as compensation claims that push total damages toward ā¬60 million. Captain Davit Vadatchkoria and his Georgian first and Indian second officers pleaded not guilty, arguing that a mechanical fault caused the anchor to drop in rough weather. Defence lawyers also contest Finlandās jurisdiction because the cables lie in international waters. The Eagle S was intercepted by Finnish security forces in January and released in March, but the crew remain under travel bans while the case proceeds. The incident heightened regional concern over the security of critical seabed infrastructure, following earlier unexplained damage to gas pipelines in the Baltic. NATO has since stepped up surveillance under its Baltic Sentry mission, and commanders say no further sabotage has been recorded since the patrols began in January.
