Swedish police investigators, conducting an inquiry into the severed fiber-optic cables in the Baltic Sea, believe that the Chinese bulk carrier Yi Peng 3 caused the damage by dragging its anchor for approximately 100 miles along the seabed.
According to a report by The Wall Street Journal, investigators believe it is unlikely that the captain of the Yi Peng 3 was unaware of the anchor dragging, given the ship’s loss of speed and operational irregularities.
The incident, which occurred on November 17-18, disrupted critical telecommunications links between Sweden, Lithuania, Finland, and Germany. NATO warships are now monitoring the vessel, which is currently in international waters between Sweden and Denmark after being intercepted by Danish naval vessels.
🇨🇳Chinese-flagged bulk carrier MV Yi Peng 3 appears to have deliberately dragged anchor to break two underwater telecoms cables in the Baltic Sea.
Now stopped in Kattegat belived to have been intercepted by 🇩🇰Danish naval vessels HDMS Hvidbjørnen and HDMS Søløven.
Similar to… pic.twitter.com/tu5hS32W55
— Navy Lookout (@NavyLookout) November 20, 2024
Analysis shows that the Yi Peng 3 was near both cable breaks when they occurred. Data from the ship’s AIS (Automatic Identification System) revealed it slowed significantly during the incident. Damage to the ship’s anchor, including twisted flukes, matches the forces required to sever subsea cables. Investigators also found that the ship’s AIS was turned off for several hours during the event, raising further suspicion.
The investigation is now focused on whether the captain of the Chinese-owned vessel, which departed the Russian Baltic port of Ust-Luga on November 15, was influenced by Russian intelligence to carry out the sabotage. If confirmed, this would mark the latest in a series of attacks on Europe’s critical infrastructure that law enforcement and intelligence officials believe have been orchestrated by Russia.
Sweden, which is leading the investigation, earlier requested that the vessel voluntarily enter Swedish waters for investigation. Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson emphasized the need to determine what caused the cable damage but refrained from accusing the crew of wrongdoing.
This incident follows a similar case in October 2023, when another Chinese-flagged ship, NewNew Polar Bear, damaged a gas pipeline and cables in the Baltic by dragging its anchor.
