MADRID 7 Ene. (EUROPA PRESS) –
The Swedish Navy’s underwater rescue ship ‘Belos’ has located the anchor of the ship ‘Eagle S’, the vessel accused of having deliberately damaged the EstLink2 underwater telecommunications cables, which connect Finland with Estonia, on the last day of Christmas.
This was confirmed by the press officer of the Swedish Navy, Jimmie Adamsson, to the Finnish national radio and television station YLE. Now, the ship ‘Belos’ – specialized in underwater work – will leave Finnish waters, where it went last weekend to participate in these operations.
The Finnish National Investigation Bureau (KRP) suspects that the ‘Eagle S’ deliberately dropped anchor and continued sailing through the area where EstLink2 passes. Eight crew members are charged with vandalism and aggravated interference with telecommunications.
Four cables were damaged in the incident, which have already been repaired. The Finnish Transport and Communications Agency (Traficom) has inspected the ship and the Finnish authorities have prohibited several crew members from leaving the country.
The Cook Islands-flagged oil tanker ‘Eagle S’, currently held in a port in the coastal city of Porvoo, is considered the main suspect. In addition, the authorities have warned that the ship could be part of the so-called ‘Russian shadow fleet’, with which Moscow evades international sanctions.
This is not the first incident of this type that has been recorded in the area, but with it there is growing concern about the security risks that this so-called ‘shadow Russian fleet’ may pose. Some countries have already issued sanctions against these freighters with which Moscow is trying to avoid sanctions on its main sources of income in the context of the war in Ukraine.