Helsinki (EFE).- The Finnish police announced on Friday they had made progress in the investigation of the Fitburg, a cargo ship flying the flag of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, suspected of damaging with its anchor a submarine communications cable connecting Finland and Estonia.
As of Friday, police had interrogated the 14 crew members and conducted an expert inspection of the seabed in the area where the cable fault occurred. They worked in cooperation with the Coast Guard and the Armed Forces of the Nordic country.
“The interrogations have clarified the course of events and the different roles of the crew members. The interrogations are ongoing,” said Risto Lohi, chief inspector of the Finnish National Bureau of Investigation (KRP), in a statement.
Investigators are using various underwater equipment to inspect the seabed, including submersible robots, side-scan sonars, and multibeam echo sounders.
The KRP has formed a joint investigative team with Estonian authorities to facilitate cooperation, as the cable break occurred in Estonia’s exclusive economic zone.
As the investigation progresses, the Transport and Communications Agency (Traficom) has also conducted a technical inspection of the vessel, finding no significant deficiencies that could endanger navigation safety.
“The vessel is in normal condition for its time in service. During the inspection, we tested the equipment and verified the condition and conformity of the vessel’s installations, equipment, accessories, and systems,” said Sanna Sonninen, Traficom’s Director of Maritime Affairs, in a statement.
Currently, the cargo ship Fitburg is docked in Kantvik, a port located about 30 kilometers (18 miles) west of Helsinki. It was transferred there after being intercepted by the Finnish Coast Guard on Dec. 31 for allegedly breaking a submarine cable.
Finnish police have temporarily restricted access to the port for outsiders and established a no-fly zone in the area while the investigation continues.
Authorities preliminarily accuse the crew of three serious crimes: sabotage, attempted sabotage, and aggravated interference with telecommunications.
Two crew members are under arrest, and two other sailors were banned from leaving Finland until further notice. Their nationalities and ranks have not yet been disclosed.
The crew of the Fitburg, which was transporting steel from Saint Petersburg, Russia, to Haifa, Israel, consists of 14 sailors from Russia, Georgia, Azerbaijan, and Kazakhstan.
Since Russia invaded Ukraine in 2022, Finland has experienced several incidents involving damage to critical underwater infrastructure under strange circumstances. Helsinki attributes these incidents to hybrid attacks orchestrated by Moscow. EFE
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