HELSINKI (dpa-AFX) – After the failure of an underwater power line in the Baltic Sea, Finnish investigators discovered a suspicious drag mark on the seabed. “The trail is dozens of kilometers long,” said investigator Sami Paila.
There is a suspicion that the oil tanker “Eagle S”, which was detained by the Finnish authorities, dragged its anchor on the ground behind it in order to damage the cable.
The ship sails under the flag of the Cook Islands and, according to the EU, belongs to the so-called Russian shadow fleet. This refers to tankers and other cargo ships that Russia uses to circumvent sanctions, for example when transporting oil.
According to police, investigators on board are carrying out technical examinations and questioning the crew. Bad weather at sea hampered the investigation. It has not yet been located where the anchor came loose.
The Estlink2 power connection between Finland and Estonia failed at Christmas. Disturbances also occurred on several communication cables in the Baltic Sea. The police emphasized that the investigation was still at an early stage./kil/DP/he