Seven crewmembers of the tanker Eagle S have been banned from leaving Finland after allegedly damaging subsea infrastructure in the Baltic last week. The travel ban allows the suspects to continue working aboard the ship while the investigation is ongoing. Inspector Elina Katajamaki of Finland’s Central Criminal Police Office stated that the police have an interest in securing the investigation and ensuring the suspects remain reachable.
The tanker Eagle S was detained by Finnish authorities in connection with a subsea cable damage incident that occurred on Christmas Day. The vessel’s AIS trackline corresponded to the damage sites, and a drag line of up to 50 nm long was found on the bottom. The crew agreed to comply with Finnish authorities’ request to divert to Finnish territorial seas, and the ship was boarded by police in a tactical operation with a military helicopter.
This incident is the latest in a series of nearly identical cable damage incidents in the Baltic over the past year. The Eagle S has been relocated to a sheltered anchorage at Porvoo for further investigation, with authorities stating that on-site forensic work is progressing more quickly with improving weather conditions. The ship’s operator has retained a local maritime attorney who claims that the crew have not received fair treatment, alleging that they have been prevented from accessing legal advice.
Despite the attorney’s claims, Inspector Katajamaki denied allegations of unfair treatment, stating that everyone involved has been offered the help they are entitled to receive. The attorney has called for the ship and crew to be released to continue their commercial voyage.
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