Finland’s National Public Prosecutor has charged the captain and two officers of the Eagle S oil tanker in connection with damage to underwater cables in the Gulf of Finland. The crew, who are Georgian and Indian nationals, are accused of causing a severe criminal disaster by dragging the ship’s anchor over approximately 90 kilometers (56 miles) of seafloor, interfering with critical communications.
The Eagle S, registered in the Cook Islands, allegedly severed the Estlink 2 undersea cable, which connects Finland and Estonia, along with four additional internet lines. Repair costs are estimated to exceed €60 million (about $70 million), according to the prosecutor. The incident raised alarms in the Baltic Sea, a region already on high alert due to previous sabotage incidents involving utility infrastructure.
While the defendants contest the charges and claim Finland bears some responsibility because the incident occurred outside its territorial waters, they are currently barred from leaving Finland. A local court will decide on the case’s hearing and jurisdiction, with the company’s lawyer previously asserting that Helsinki is not liable for the disruptions.
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