Finland probes Russia-linked tanker for 'sabotage' of undersea cable
Finnish authorities are investigating the oil tanker Eagle S, suspected of "aggravated sabotage" to the Estlink 2 power cable between Finland and Estonia damaged on Christmas Day. The tanker is thought to be part of Russia's "shadow fleet" vessels that transport embargoed Russian oil products.
Finnish authorities said Thursday they are investigating an oil tanker that sailed from a Russian port for the "sabotage" of a power cable linking Finland and Estonia that was damaged the previous day.
On Christmas Day, the Estlink 2 submarine cable that carries electricity from Finland to Estonia was disconnected from the grid, just over a month after two telecommunications cables were severed in Swedish territorial waters in the Baltic Sea.
Robin Lardot of Finland's National Bureau of Investigation said a probe for "aggravated sabotage" had been opened into the oil tanker Eagle S, that flies under the flag of the Cook Islands in the South Pacific.
"The assumption at the moment is that it is a shadow fleet vessel and the cargo was unleaded petrol loaded in a Russian port," said Sami Rakshit from Director General of Finnish Customs.
The shadow fleet refers to the ships which transport embargoed Russian crude and oil products.
"We monitored the situation closely yesterday" with Prime Minister Petteri Orpo, Finnish President Alexander Stubb on X.
"The risks posed by the Russian shadow fleet must be ruled out," he added.
The Eagle S is bound for Port Said in Egypt and still located in the Gulf of Finland, according to the Marine Traffic website.
(AFP)
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