Finland seizes suspected tanker after sabotage of undersea cable in Baltic Sea

Finnish police took control of the tanker 'Eagle S' on December 28, 2024, after the discovery of deliberate damage to the Estlink 2 submarine electricity cable linking Finland and Estonia. The damage was detected on December 25, 2024 (Christmas Day). Finnish authorities suspect the cable was damaged by the anchor of the 'Eagle S,' a Russian-origin tanker flagged under the Cook Islands, reportedly involved in Russia's shadow fleet which circumvents Western oil sanctions through tankers under foreign flags. The tanker was escorted to Kilpilahti port for investigation. This sabotage follows a recent similar incident involving two key Baltic telecommunications cables damaged about a month earlier with suspicion on a Chinese freighter. Finnish investigators are treating the case as serious sabotage, highlighting ongoing threats to critical infrastructure in the Baltic Sea amid geopolitical tensions.