Latest news with #EagleS
NZ Herald
18 hours ago
- NZ Herald
Ship allegedly dragged its anchor 90km across seabed, causing $118m damage to five cables
This handout photo released by the Finnish police on January 9 shows the presumed anchor of oil tanker Eagle S after it was hoisted from the Gulf of Finland. The Eagle S, flying the Cook Islands flag, is suspected of having damaged cables in the Baltic on December 25. Photo / Finland police, AFP Listening to articles is free for open-access content—explore other articles or learn more about text-to-speech. This handout photo released by the Finnish police on January 9 shows the presumed anchor of oil tanker Eagle S after it was hoisted from the Gulf of Finland. The Eagle S, flying the Cook Islands flag, is suspected of having damaged cables in the Baltic on December 25. Photo / Finland police, AFP Finland filed criminal charges against the top officers of a Baltic oil tanker today in connection with severe damage done to undersea cables in December. It was one of a string of energy and telecom ruptures in the region that many European officials suspect were part of a sabotage campaign directed by Moscow. The National Prosecution Authority in Helsinki indicted the captain and two first officers of the Eagle S, a Cook Islands-registered tanker suspected of being part of a 'shadow fleet' of ships transporting Russian oil in violation of international sanctions. The officers are charged with aggravated criminal mischief for allegedly dragging the ship's anchor for more than 90km across the Gulf of Finland on Christmas Day, severing five electricity and telecom cables in the process and causing almost US$70 million ($118m) in damage. 'The disruption of electricity transmission and telecommunications cables with very high transmission capacity is also suspected to have caused a serious risk to energy supply and telecommunications in Finland,' prosecutors said in a statement.
Calgary Herald
19 hours ago
- Politics
- Calgary Herald
Finland charges 'Russian shadow fleet' ship captain over Baltic cable sabotage
Article content Helsinki — The captain and two senior officers of a ship believed to belong to Russia's so-called shadow fleet have been charged with sabotage for cutting five Baltic Sea cables in December, Finnish prosecutors said Monday. Article content The crew members of the Cook Islands-registered oil tanker Eagle S were alleged to have dragged the ship's anchor on the seabed for around 90 kilometres, damaging five undersea cables in the Gulf of Finland. Article content Article content Article content They have been charged with 'aggravated criminal mischief and aggravated interference with communications,' the office of Finland's Deputy Prosecutor General said in a statement. Article content Article content The office did not disclose the nationalities of the accused, but Deputy Prosecutor General Jukka Rappe told AFP many of the crew had been Indian and Georgian nationals. Article content The criminal investigation was launched after the EstLink 2 submarine power cable and four telecommunications cables connecting Finland and Estonia were damaged on Dec. 25. Article content 'The owners of the cables have suffered a total of at least 60 million euros (US$70 million) in immediate damage in the form of repair costs alone,' the statement said. Article content The Eagle S is believed to belong to the Russian shadow fleet — old tankers used to skirt restrictions on Russian oil exports. Article content The disruption 'is also suspected to have caused a serious risk to energy supply and telecommunications in Finland,' according to the statement. Article content Article content Having denied the offences during the investigation, the defendants — who are currently banned from leaving Finland — have argued that Finland has no jurisdiction in the case, because the cuts took place outside Finnish territorial waters. Article content Article content But according to Rappe, since the cable cuts 'seriously endangered important functions of society,' Finnish jurisdiction applies in the case. Article content 'Considering that these are cables with extremely high capacity, the danger was obvious,' he said. 'So the act can be considered to have been committed in Finland, even though the cable was cut outside Finnish territory.' Article content According to Rappe, a trial should begin within two weeks. Article content Tensions have mounted around the Baltic Sea since Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. Article content A series of underwater blasts ruptured the Nord Stream pipelines that carried Russian gas to Europe in September 2022, the cause of which has yet to be determined.
Japan Today
a day ago
- Politics
- Japan Today
Finland charges top officers of Russia-linked vessel that damaged undersea cables
FILE - The Cook Islands-registered oil tanker Eagle S is anchored near the Kilpilahti port in Porvoo on the Gulf of Finland, Dec. 30, 2024. (Jussi Nukari/Lehtikuva via AP, File) Finnish authorities said Monday they have charged the captain and two senior officers of a Russia-linked vessel that damaged undersea cables last year between Finland and Estonia. The Finnish deputy prosecutor general said in a statement that charges of aggravated criminal mischief and aggravated interference with communications were filed against the captain and first and second officers of the Eagle S oil tanker. Their names were not made public. The statement said they denied the allegations. Authorities have said the vessel dragged its anchor to damage the Estlink-2 power cable and communication links between Finland and Estonia on Dec. 25. The Kremlin previously denied involvement in damaging the infrastructure, which provides power and communication for thousands of Europeans. The Eagle S is flagged in the Cook Islands but has been described by Finnish customs officials and the European Union's executive commission as part of Russia's shadow fleet of fuel tankers. Those are aging vessels with obscure ownership, acquired to evade Western sanctions amid the war in Ukraine and operating without Western-regulated insurance. For the West, such incidents are believed to be part of widespread sabotage attacks in Europe allegedly linked to Moscow following its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022. The undersea cables and pipelines that crisscross one of the busiest shipping lanes in Europe link Nordic, Baltic and central European countries. They promote trade, energy security and, in some cases, reduce dependence on Russian energy resources. Monday's statement alleges that 'the Eagle S, which left Russia's Ust-Luga with a cargo of oil products, is suspected of cutting five submarine cables in the Gulf of Finland by dragging its anchor on the seabed for about 90 kilometers (56 miles)." Prosecutors said the owners of the cables have suffered a total of at least 60 million euros ($69.7 million) in repair costs. 'The disruption of electricity transmission and telecommunications cables with very high transmission capacity is also suspected to have caused a serious risk to energy supply and telecommunications in Finland, although services could be secured by using alternative connections,' the statement said. It added that the defendants "consider that Finland lacks jurisdiction in the case, as the locations of the cable damages are outside Finnish territorial waters.' The damage to the Estlink 2, which can provide about half of Estonia's electricity needs in winter, did not disrupt service, although it drove up energy prices in the Baltic nations. The cable is about 90 miles (145 kilometers) long and reaches 90 meters (295 feet) at its deepest point. © Copyright 2025 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.
Vancouver Sun
a day ago
- Vancouver Sun
Finland charges ship captain over Baltic cable sabotage
Helsinki — The captain and two senior officers of a ship believed to belong to Russia's so-called shadow fleet have been charged with sabotage for cutting five Baltic Sea cables in December, Finnish prosecutors said Monday. The crew members of the Cook Islands-registered oil tanker Eagle S were alleged to have dragged the ship's anchor on the seabed for around 90 kilometres, damaging five undersea cables in the Gulf of Finland. They have been charged with 'aggravated criminal mischief and aggravated interference with communications,' the office of Finland's Deputy Prosecutor General said in a statement. Start your day with a roundup of B.C.-focused news and opinion. By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc. A welcome email is on its way. If you don't see it, please check your junk folder. The next issue of Sunrise will soon be in your inbox. Please try again Interested in more newsletters? Browse here. The office did not disclose the nationalities of the accused, but Deputy Prosecutor General Jukka Rappe told AFP many of the crew had been Indian and Georgian nationals. The criminal investigation was launched after the EstLink 2 submarine power cable and four telecommunications cables connecting Finland and Estonia were damaged on Dec. 25. 'The owners of the cables have suffered a total of at least 60 million euros (US$70 million) in immediate damage in the form of repair costs alone,' the statement said. The Eagle S is believed to belong to the Russian shadow fleet — old tankers used to skirt restrictions on Russian oil exports. The disruption 'is also suspected to have caused a serious risk to energy supply and telecommunications in Finland,' according to the statement. Having denied the offences during the investigation, the defendants — who are currently banned from leaving Finland — have argued that Finland has no jurisdiction in the case, because the cuts took place outside Finnish territorial waters. But according to Rappe, since the cable cuts 'seriously endangered important functions of society,' Finnish jurisdiction applies in the case. 'Considering that these are cables with extremely high capacity, the danger was obvious,' he said. 'So the act can be considered to have been committed in Finland, even though the cable was cut outside Finnish territory.' According to Rappe, a trial should begin within two weeks. Tensions have mounted around the Baltic Sea since Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. A series of underwater blasts ruptured the Nord Stream pipelines that carried Russian gas to Europe in September 2022, the cause of which has yet to be determined. In October 2023, an undersea gas pipeline between Finland and Estonia was shut down after it was damaged by the anchor of a Chinese cargo ship. Several undersea Baltic cables were also damaged last year, with many experts calling it part of a 'hybrid war' carried out by Russia against Western countries. Finland and Sweden abandoned decades of military non-alignment and joined NATO in the wake of Russia's invasion of Ukraine. In January, the military alliance launched a Baltic Sea monitoring mission in response to several incidents of suspected sabotage. Our website is the place for the latest breaking news, exclusive scoops, longreads and provocative commentary. Please bookmark and sign up for our newsletters here .
Ottawa Citizen
a day ago
- Ottawa Citizen
Finland charges ship captain over Baltic cable sabotage
In this file photo taken on Dec. 28, 2024, off Porkkalanniemi, Kirkkonummi, in the Gulf of Finland, Cook Islands-registered oil tanker Eagle S is pictured next to Finnish border guard ship Uisko. Photo by Jussi Nukari / AFP Helsinki — The captain and two senior officers of a ship believed to belong to Russia's so-called shadow fleet have been charged with sabotage for cutting five Baltic Sea cables in December, Finnish prosecutors said Monday. THIS CONTENT IS RESERVED FOR SUBSCRIBERS ONLY Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Exclusive articles from Elizabeth Payne, David Pugliese, Andrew Duffy, Bruce Deachman and others. Plus, food reviews and event listings in the weekly newsletter, Ottawa, Out of Office. Unlimited online access to Ottawa Citizen and 15 news sites with one account. Ottawa Citizen ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition to view on any device, share and comment on. Daily puzzles, including the New York Times Crossword. Support local journalism. SUBSCRIBE TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Exclusive articles from Elizabeth Payne, David Pugliese, Andrew Duffy, Bruce Deachman and others. Plus, food reviews and event listings in the weekly newsletter, Ottawa, Out of Office. Unlimited online access to Ottawa Citizen and 15 news sites with one account. Ottawa Citizen ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition to view on any device, share and comment on. Daily puzzles, including the New York Times Crossword. Support local journalism. REGISTER / SIGN IN TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account. Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments. Enjoy additional articles per month. Get email updates from your favourite authors. THIS ARTICLE IS FREE TO READ REGISTER TO UNLOCK. Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments Enjoy additional articles per month Get email updates from your favourite authors The crew members of the Cook Islands-registered oil tanker Eagle S were alleged to have dragged the ship's anchor on the seabed for around 90 kilometres, damaging five undersea cables in the Gulf of Finland. They have been charged with 'aggravated criminal mischief and aggravated interference with communications,' the office of Finland's Deputy Prosecutor General said in a statement. The Ottawa Citizen's best journalism, delivered directly to your inbox by 7 p.m. on weekdays. By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc. Please try again The office did not disclose the nationalities of the accused, but Deputy Prosecutor General Jukka Rappe told AFP many of the crew had been Indian and Georgian nationals. The criminal investigation was launched after the EstLink 2 submarine power cable and four telecommunications cables connecting Finland and Estonia were damaged on Dec. 25. 'The owners of the cables have suffered a total of at least 60 million euros (US$70 million) in immediate damage in the form of repair costs alone,' the statement said. The Eagle S is believed to belong to the Russian shadow fleet — old tankers used to skirt restrictions on Russian oil exports. The disruption 'is also suspected to have caused a serious risk to energy supply and telecommunications in Finland,' according to the statement. Having denied the offences during the investigation, the defendants — who are currently banned from leaving Finland — have argued that Finland has no jurisdiction in the case, because the cuts took place outside Finnish territorial waters. But according to Rappe, since the cable cuts 'seriously endangered important functions of society,' Finnish jurisdiction applies in the case. 'Considering that these are cables with extremely high capacity, the danger was obvious,' he said. 'So the act can be considered to have been committed in Finland, even though the cable was cut outside Finnish territory.' According to Rappe, a trial should begin within two weeks. Tensions have mounted around the Baltic Sea since Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. A series of underwater blasts ruptured the Nord Stream pipelines that carried Russian gas to Europe in September 2022, the cause of which has yet to be determined.
