In a significant maritime security incident, Finnish police have seized a cargo vessel on suspicion of sabotaging a critical undersea telecommunications cable connecting Finland and Estonia. The action took place on Wednesday, with authorities moving swiftly to detain the ship and its crew.
The Seizure and Suspicions
Law enforcement officials in Finland boarded and took control of the vessel named 'Fitburg'. The ship was intercepted while it was sailing from Russia's St. Petersburg port towards Israel. Helsinki's chief of police, Jari Liukku, stated that the current suspicions are focused on "aggravated disruption of telecommunications and also aggravated sabotage and attempted aggravated sabotage."
The detained ship was sailing under the flag of St. Vincent and the Grenadines. According to available data, the vessel is owned by Fitburg Shipping Company Ltd and managed by Albros Shipping and Trading Ltd.
Crew Detained and Damage Location
Investigators confirmed that the Fitburg had 14 crew members on board at the time of the seizure. The crew's nationalities include citizens from Russia, Georgia, Kazakhstan, and Azerbaijan. All have been detained by the Finnish police for questioning.
The alleged damage was inflicted upon an undersea cable owned by the Finnish telecommunications giant, Elisa. Notably, the incident occurred within Estonia's exclusive economic zone in the Gulf of Finland. This body of water is bordered by Estonia, Finland, and Russia and is a crucial part of the Baltic Sea.
Company Response and Broader Context
In an official statement, Elisa assured that the cable damage "had not affected the functionality of Elisa’s services in any way." The company explained that services were successfully rerouted through other pathways. Elisa detected a fault in the cable early on Wednesday and promptly reported it to the Finnish authorities, triggering the investigation.
This event adds to a growing list of incidents involving critical energy and communications infrastructure in the Baltic Sea region. Recent years have seen multiple cases of damage to undersea cables and pipelines. A notable similar incident occurred on Christmas Day in 2024, when the oil tanker Eagle S, registered in the Cook Islands, damaged five cables in the Gulf of Finland after dragging its anchor for approximately 90 kilometres.
The seizure of the Fitburg underscores the heightened sensitivity and strategic importance of subsea infrastructure, especially in regions with complex geopolitical dynamics. Finnish authorities continue their investigation into the motives and circumstances behind the suspected sabotage.
