Finland seizes ship, detains crew in submarine cable damage probe

Finnish authorities have taken control of a vessel suspected of damaging a submarine telecommunications cable in the Gulf of Finland, with 14 crew members taken into police custody, officials said.

In a statement on Wednesday, police said the cable damage was detected earlier in the day and that the Finnish Border Guard located a vessel, Fitburg, whose actions are suspected to be linked to the incident.

Finnish authorities subsequently seized the ship in a joint operation, YLE news agency reported.

The suspected vessel was encountered by the Border Guard’s patrol ship Turva, supported by a helicopter, in Finland’s exclusive economic zone (EEZ).

Estonia

The reported location of the cable damage itself lies in Estonia’s EEZ, according to information provided by Elisa, a telecommunications and digital services company, between Helsinki and Tallinn.

Finnish Prime Minister Petteri Orpo said he had spoken with his Estonian counterpart about the incident.

“I spoke with my Estonian colleague Kristen Michal about the cable damage in the Gulf of Finland. Our authorities are working in good cooperation,” Orpo said on X.

Estonian President Alar Karis also expressed concern over the incident.

“I’m concerned about the reported damage to the subsea cable between Estonia and Finland. Hopefully, it was not a deliberate act, but the investigation will clarify. The Estonian and Finnish authorities are working closely together to gather additional information,” Karis said.

Estonian Foreign Minister Margus Tsahkna said Tallinn remains in close contact with Helsinki.

“Finnish and Estonian authorities are in close cooperation and actively exchanging information on the cable damage in the Gulf of Finland. Estonia’s connectivity is fully ensured through other cables, and all services continue without disruption,” Tsahkna said.

Aggravated damage

Police said they are investigating the incident on suspicion of aggravated damage, attempted aggravated damage, and aggravated interference with telecommunications.

Authorities have also been in contact with the Office of the Prosecutor General, which has issued the relevant authorisations for the investigation.

All 14 crew members of the Fitburg vessel have been taken into police custody, Helsinki Police and Border Guard officers said at a press conference, according to a report by the Finnish news agency STT.

They said that the crew members are Russian, Georgian, Kazakh, and Azerbaijani nationals.

The incident occurred in the Gulf of Finland, a strategically important maritime area hosting several critical energy and data connections linking Nordic and Baltic states.

It also comes as Nordic countries have remained on alert in recent years following several disruptions to telecommunications infrastructure, raising concerns over the resilience of energy and communication links.