Finland Takes Control of Ship Over Baltic Cable Damage

(MENAFN) Finnish authorities have taken control of a vessel suspected of damaging a submarine telecommunications cable operated by Elisa between Helsinki and Tallinn, police said Wednesday.

Officials reported that the disruption was identified earlier in the day. Shortly afterward, the Finnish Border Guard located a ship whose movements are believed to be connected to the incident.

According to media, the vessel was seized in a coordinated operation involving multiple authorities.

The ship was intercepted by the Border Guard’s patrol vessel Turva, with aerial support from a helicopter, while operating inside Finland’s exclusive economic zone (EEZ).

The damaged section of the cable itself is located within Estonia’s EEZ, based on information provided by Elisa.

Police said the case is being examined as suspected aggravated criminal damage, attempted aggravated damage, and aggravated interference with telecommunications.

Authorities confirmed they are working closely with the Office of the Prosecutor General, which has granted the necessary authorizations to advance the investigation.

The incident took place in the Gulf of Finland, a strategically sensitive corridor that hosts several vital energy and data links connecting Nordic and Baltic nations.

The seizure comes amid heightened vigilance across the region, as Nordic countries have faced repeated disruptions to communications infrastructure in recent years, fueling concerns over the security and resilience of critical energy and data networks.

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