Authorities in Finland on Monday released a Russian-owned cargo ship suspected of damaging an undersea telecommunications cable in the Gulf of Finland, saying the investigation into the damage is continuing.
The Fitburg was en route from the Russian port of St. Petersburg to Israel on New Year’s Eve when it was detained by Finnish authorities. It was suspected of sabotaging a telecom cable running from Helsinki to Estonia in an area that had been the location of similar incidents in the past.
The ship was operating under the flag of St. Vincent and the Grenadines, but is owned by a Russian firm operating in Turkey, according to maritime vessel tracking data. More than a dozen crew members were taken into custody after the Fitburg was taken to the Finnish port of Kantvik.
“The Finnish and Estonian police have completed their work on board the vessel and the seizure can therefore be lifted,” Finnish police said in a statement. “Some of the ship’s crew remain under a travel ban.”
Damage to undersea cables and pipelines has increased since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. The Gulf of Finland is a vital shipping lane with dense undersea cable networks, making it a potential target for disrupting communications in the region.
The primary mechanism involves a ship’s anchor being dropped and dragged by the vessel’s movement, tearing through seabed cables, authorities said.
Authorities in Finland are investigating the incident as a case of aggravated criminal damage, attempted aggravated criminal damage and aggravated interference with telecommunications. Criminal offenses may change as the investigation progresses, Finland’s National Bureau of Investigation said.
