Finland’s National Public Prosecutor has charged the captain and two officers of the EagleS oil tanker for damaging underwater cables in the Gulf of Finland. The crew, predominantly Georgian and Indian nationals, is accused of causing a severe criminal disaster by dragging the ship’s anchor, severing vital communication lines.
The National Bureau of Investigation of Finland has completed its inquiry into the December 25, 2024, cable damage in the Gulf of Finland. Senior officers of the tanker Eagle S are now suspected of aggravated criminal mischief, with evidence pointing to their negligence in navigation and anchor deployment during the incident.
After a NATO summit in Helsinki, Finnish President Alexander Stubb revealed that the tanker Eagle S nearly caused more damage to subsea infrastructure before Finland intervened. Suspected of breaking cables connecting Finland and Estonia, the vessel was intercepted by Finnish forces. Concerns arise over deliberate actions targeting vital connections in the Baltic Sea region.
Finnish and Swedish authorities recovered the lost anchor of the dark fleet tanker Eagle S, suspected of damaging fiber-optic cables in the Gulf of Finland. The anchor was found near the Porkkala Peninsula, indicating a possible connection to the incidents. The crew is under investigation for intentional anchor dragging, raising suspicions of sabotage.
Fingrid, Finland’s national power grid operator, has taken legal action to seize the Eagle S oil tanker due to damages to the undersea Estlink 2 electricity interconnector. The incident, suspected to be caused by the tanker dragging its anchor, has raised concerns in the Baltic Sea region. NATO plans to increase presence in the area.
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 suspects to continue working aboard the ship during the ongoing investigation. Finnish authorities detained the vessel in connection with a subsea cable damage incident on Christmas Day.
The owner of the oil tanker suspected of damaging a subsea power line and telecom cables in the Baltic Sea is requesting the release of the ship. Finnish authorities seized the Cook Islands-registered Eagle S, believed to have caused the destruction. The incident has put Baltic Sea nations on high alert amid tensions.
