Finnish authorities said Thursday they are investigating the rupture of the Estlink 2 power transmission cable within Finland’s Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) in the Gulf of Finland on Wednesday, December 25. The police are also looking into other possible damages in the maritime area.
The electricity transmission cable has been cut in the sea area in Finland’s exclusive economic zone about 55 km south of Loviisa.
The police in Finland said they boarded a tanker, which is registered in the Cook Islands, and that due to the action taken by the authorities it had entered Finland’s territorial waters.
The vessel’s involvement in causing the rupture is “under investigation,” the police noted.
The Helsinki police department and the border guard have conducted a tactical operation on the vessel. The authorities have taken investigative measures on the crude oil tanker, with access there provided by the Finnish border guard and the Defence forces helicopters.
The Finish border guard reported that the vessel is under the control of the Finnish authorities southeast of the Porkkala cape.
The authorities said they were investigating whether the vessel was involved in the incident of Estlink 2 electricity transmission cable damage in the Baltic Sea on December 25.
For that purpose, the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) is responsible for leading the investigation, whilst the police are working closely and exchanging information with the Estonian authorities.
Furthermore, the border guard provides mutual assistance to the police in carrying out a technical investigation of the scene.
Finland’s prime minister, Petteri Orpo, said that authorities are on standby over Christmas and are investigating the matter.
“We monitored the situation closely yesterday with prime minister Petteri Orpo”, Finnish president Alexander Stubb said on X.
