Finnish authorities have discovered tracks stretching for dozens of kilometers along the seabed of the Baltic Sea, believed to have been caused by a tanker carrying Russian oil. The tanker, named Eagle S, is suspected of damaging a power line and four telecoms cables with its anchor. Finnish police and coast guard officials boarded the Cook Islands-registered vessel on Thursday, and the crew is currently being questioned in Finnish waters.
The incident has raised concerns among Baltic Sea nations, following a series of outages of power cables, telecom links, and gas pipelines since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022. NATO announced plans to increase its presence in the region in response to the heightened tensions. The damage to the 658 MW Estlink 2 power cable between Finland and Estonia occurred on Wednesday, leaving only the 358 MW Estlink 1 operational, with Estlink 2 potentially out of service until August.
Investigators have identified a “dragging track” along the seabed, indicating the possible path of the tanker’s anchor. Despite the absence of the anchor, photos taken of the Eagle S show it missing its port side anchor. Finland’s customs service suspects the vessel is part of a “shadow fleet” of aging tankers used to circumvent sanctions on Russian oil exports. The Kremlin has downplayed concerns over the ship’s seizure, while Russia has denied involvement in previous incidents of Baltic infrastructure damage.
More Stories
IMO Calls for Seafarer Safety After Tragic Odessa Attack
AI Footage Reveals Key Insights into Dangerous Maritime Collision Off Grimsby
Salvage Operations to Start as Fire Subsides on Stena Tanker