Finland charges oil tanker crew over suspected sabotage of undersea cables

Finnish prosecutors have charged the captain and two officers of the Eagle S tanker with aggravated sabotage and telecommunications interference over damage to Finland-Estonia cables in December.

The deputy prosecutor general has filed charges against the captain, first officer and second officer of the Cook Islands-registered oil tanker, Finnish broadcaster YLE reported on Monday. The charges follow a National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) probe into damage to the Estlink 2 power cable and four telecommunications cables in the Gulf of Finland.

Investigators allege the tanker dragged its anchor for around 90 kilometres along the seabed, severing the cables between Finland and Estonia. Authorities suspect the vessel is part of Russia's so-called "shadow fleet," a group of ships believed to be used to bypass oil sanctions on Moscow.

The defendants deny the allegations and argue Finland lacks jurisdiction, claiming the cables were damaged outside Finnish territorial waters.

The incident was one of several suspected hybrid attacks on Nordic telecommunications and energy infrastructure late last year, prompting heightened regional security measures. According to Finnish officials, the disruptions underscored the vulnerability of critical undersea links that carry power and data between countries in the Baltic region.

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