Finland Finds Sixty-Mile Seabed Trail Near Damaged Baltic Sea Cable

The photo by Raja Finnish Border Guard (here).

Finnish investigators have discovered a 100 km (about 60 miles) drag mark on the seabed near the damaged undersea power cable, EstLink 2, which broke on Christmas Day in what is being investigated as a suspected act of Russian sabotage.

The Eagle Has Landed… an Anchor?

The vessel suspected of causing the damage is the Eagle S (IMO 9329760), a 229-meter-long ship sailing under the flag of the Cook Islands. The vessel is believed to belong to Russia’s “shadow fleet,” a network of ships used to transport Russian oil products evading international sanctions imposed after the 2022 invasion of Ukraine.

“Our current understanding is that the drag mark in question is that of the anchor of the Eagle S,” said Sami Paila, the Finnish police chief investigator.

He confirmed that underwater research had clarified the matter, speaking to the national broadcaster Yle.

The incident has left EstLink 2, a key electricity cable supplying power from Finland to Estonia, out of service. Repairs are expected to take months, potentially causing higher electricity costs for Estonia during the winter.

“It’s Not Just a Matter of a Simple Mistake”

The investigation is focused on determining whether the incident was intentional or accidental. Sami Paila called the“question of intent” an essential part of the inquiry.

While intentions remain unclear, a senior Estonian official expressed little doubt that the damage was deliberate.

“If you’re dragging an anchor, it’s hard to believe the ship wouldn’t notice. It’s not just a matter of a simple mistake,” the official told The Guardian.

Suspicion currently centers on Russia, which has been linked to a series of sabotage operations targeting NATO countries over the past two years.

Coordinated Response Prevents Further Damage

The Eagle S had recently docked in Russia and was reportedly carrying Russian oil products. The ship’s crew, consisting of Georgian and Indian nationals, was aboard during the incident, Finnish media reported.

Despite stormy seas hindering the response, Finland and Estonia worked together to investigate and secure the area. Fortunately, authorities prevented damage to EstLink 1, a second undersea cable connecting the two countries.

To safeguard this critical infrastructure, Estonia has launched a naval operation involving special forces to monitor the Baltic Sea for potential threats.

The damage to EstLink 2 comes as Estonia prepares to disconnect from the old Soviet-era power grid and integrate into a central European grid this spring. While this transition remains on track, the economic impact of the damaged cable is significant. A previous non-sabotage outage of the same cable led to a 10% rise in electricity costs, costing Estonians an additional €90 million, according to The Guardian.

NATO Steps Up Security in the Baltic Sea

Recent incidents in the Baltic Sea have prompted NATO to bolster its security presence.

Following the suspected sabotage of fiber-optic cables between Sweden and Denmark last month by the Chinese ship Yi Peng 3 (IMO: 9224984), NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte announced an increased military presence in the region.

Estonia, for its part, is closely monitoring maritime activity and has committed to responding swiftly to potential threats.

“We try to identify suspicious ships, or if we see that the anchor is in the water, we will do everything to stop this ship before it reaches the cable,” an Estonian official told The Guardian.