On September 8, 2026, a Russian captain and an Azerbaijani crew member faced trial in Finland, accused of damaging two undersea telecommunications cables using the anchor of the cargo ship Fitburg. Prosecutors allege extensive scraping occurred before the vessel was stopped, raising jurisdiction concerns due to the incident’s location outside Finland’s waters.
Finnish authorities are investigating significant damage to a telecommunications cable caused by the anchor of the cargo vessel Fitburg. Seized after underwater surveys revealed drag marks, the incident is being treated as potential sabotage, with crew members detained. The investigation raises alarms about security threats in the Baltic Sea.
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.
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.
