HELSINKI, Dec. 31 (Xinhua) -- Finnish authorities have detained the freighter Fitburg on suspicion of damaging undersea data cables in the Gulf of Finland early Wednesday, officials said at a press conference in Helsinki.
Finnish National Police Commissioner Ilkka Koskimaki said the vessel was being escorted to a Finnish port and that all 14 crew members had been taken into custody.
A police spokesman said it was too early to determine whether the incident was accidental or intentional.
Officials said the Fitburg sails under the flag of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines. Finnish media reported that the ship's owning company is registered in the Seychelles and maintains an office in Turkey.
The Finnish Coast Guard said telecommunications company Elisa alerted it shortly after 5 a.m. local time (0300 GMT) to a breach in its cable link between the Finnish capital Helsinki and the Estonian capital Tallinn. Coast Guard Commander Mikko Simola said three vessels were initially considered possible suspects, with the Fitburg later emerging as the main suspect. The damage was detected in Estonia's exclusive economic zone, officials said.
Finnish patrols later located the suspect vessel in Finland's exclusive economic zone with its anchor chain lowered. The ship was instructed to raise its anchor and proceed toward the Finnish coast, which it did, Simola said. Authorities then ordered the vessel into Finnish territorial waters and took control of it.
Simola said Coast Guard helicopters sighted the vessel at around 7:30 a.m. local time (0530 GMT). Officials boarded the ship by helicopter at about 11 a.m. local time (0900 GMT) and took control of the bridge and the vessel, he added.
The Finnish government and state leadership were kept informed, while operational decisions were made by relevant civil servants and agencies, according to local media.
Finnish President Alexander Stubb said in a message on social media platform X early Wednesday that Finland is prepared for a range of security contingencies and will respond accordingly.
Estonia's Ministry of Justice and Digital Affairs said two cables between the two countries were disrupted - one owned by Elisa and another by Sweden's Arelion. Estonian and Finnish prosecutors are exchanging information and considering whether to open a joint investigation, the ministry said.
Elisa said services in Finland and Estonia were not affected due to network backups, though some customers using direct connections via the cable may have experienced disruptions. The company said inspections of the damaged cable have yet to begin due to adverse weather conditions. ■
