Latest news with #YiPeng3
Local Sweden
15-04-2025
- Local Sweden
Swedish probe finds no conclusive evidence Chinese ship cut cables deliberately
Swedish authorities have not managed to find any evidence that a Chinese-flagged bulk carrier was intentionally dragging its anchor when it severed two subsea cables in the Baltic Sea last year. Advertisement Tensions have mounted around the Baltic Sea since Russia's invasion of Ukraine in February 2022 and after Finland and Sweden joined Nato, with a string of incidents involving damage to undersea cables and other infrastructure. In a report on April 15th the Swedish Accident Investigation Authority (SHK) found that the Yi Peng 3 cut the two telecommunications cables after dragging its anchor off Sweden's southeastern coast for one and a half days and 180 nautical miles. But it said it was unable to conclude definitively that the vessel, built in 2001 and owned by Chinese company Ningbo Yipeng Shipping Co, cut the cables on purpose. "There are two alternative scenarios for the incident, one of which is that the ship deliberately dropped anchor to cause damage to seabed infrastructure," the authority said. "Arguing against this alternative is the deliberate risk to the ship entailed in releasing the anchor at speed, with high risk that the ship and crew operating the anchor would be seriously harmed during the release," it said. "The other alternative is that the anchor came loose because it was poorly or not at all secured," the SHK said. However the lack of damage to the ship and the length of time the anchor spent on the sea floor "speak to some extent against this scenario", it added. Advertisement On November 17th, the Arelion telecommunications cable running from the Swedish island of Gotland to Lithuania was damaged. The next day, the C-Lion 1 communications cable linking Finland to Germany was cut south of Sweden's Oland island. The SHK noted that it was only allowed on board to examine the Yi Peng 3's anchor and question crew members more than a month after the incident, and was not granted access to any electronic data. Many experts and political leaders have attributed a spate of incidents in the Baltic since Moscow's invasion of Ukraine to a "hybrid war" carried out by Russia. Sweden, Finland and Germany all launched investigations over the November 17th-18th incidents and Swedish police said they suspected "sabotage". The SHK said its assessment "does not prevent the Swedish Prosecution Authority from conducting a preliminary investigation into a suspected crime".
Yahoo
15-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Swedish probe finds no conclusive evidence of deliberate cable damage by Chinese ship
COPENHAGEN (Reuters) - A Swedish probe found no conclusive evidence to suggest that a Chinese ship had deliberately dragged its anchor to damage two Baltic Sea cables, Sweden's Accident Investigation Authority said on Tuesday, though a separate investigation remains under way. The Yi Peng 3 bulk carrier has been under investigation for dragging its anchor and breaching two subsea fibre-optic communications cables in Swedish economic waters, one linking Finland and Germany and the other connecting Sweden to Lithuania, on November 17-18 last year. "It cannot be determined with certainty whether a Chinese ship intentionally damaged data cables in the Baltic Sea," the government authority, which investigates accidents and incidents, said in a statement. Swedish prosecutor Henrik Soderman told Reuters he was still investigating the case in a separate probe, declining to provide further detail. Investigators faced some constraints as Chinese authorities maintained jurisdiction over the vessel, prohibiting criminal investigations and recording of interviews aboard, it said. China in December said it had provided information and documents for the investigation into the severing of the cables, while its ally Russia has so far denied involvement in any of the Baltic infrastructure incidents. The Baltic Sea region is on high alert after a string of power cable, telecom link and gas pipeline outages since Russia invaded Ukraine in 2022, and the NATO military alliance has boosted its presence with frigates, aircraft and naval drones.
Reuters
15-04-2025
- Politics
- Reuters
Swedish probe finds no conclusive evidence of deliberate cable damage by Chinese ship
COPENHAGEN, April 15 (Reuters) - A Swedish probe found no conclusive evidence to suggest that a Chinese ship had deliberately dragged its anchor to damage two Baltic Sea cables, Sweden's Accident Investigation Authority said on Tuesday, though a separate investigation remains under way. The Yi Peng 3 bulk carrier has been under investigation for dragging its anchor and breaching two subsea fibre-optic communications cables in Swedish economic waters, one linking Finland and Germany and the other connecting Sweden to Lithuania, on November 17-18 last year. "It cannot be determined with certainty whether a Chinese ship intentionally damaged data cables in the Baltic Sea," the government authority, which investigates accidents and incidents, said in a statement. Swedish prosecutor Henrik Soderman told Reuters he was still investigating the case in a separate probe, declining to provide further detail. Investigators faced some constraints as Chinese authorities maintained jurisdiction over the vessel, prohibiting criminal investigations and recording of interviews aboard, it said. China in December said it had provided information and documents for the investigation into the severing of the cables, while its ally Russia has so far denied involvement in any of the Baltic infrastructure incidents. The Baltic Sea region is on high alert after a string of power cable, telecom link and gas pipeline outages since Russia invaded Ukraine in 2022, and the NATO military alliance has boosted its presence with frigates, aircraft and naval drones.
Yahoo
15-04-2025
- Yahoo
Swedish report finds no evidence a Chinese-flagged ship intentionally damaged Baltic Sea cables
STOCKHOLM (AP) — Authorities did not find any evidence that a Chinese-flagged ship in the Baltic Sea intentionally damaged two undersea cables last year, according to a Swedish report released Tuesday. The Swedish Accident Investigation Board's report says investigators only had access to limited information and therefore were not able to figure out with certainty whether the data cables were damaged in Swedish waters intentionally or not. Chinese authorities led the investigation, with Sweden taking part as an observer. Swedish prosecutors can continue their own investigation separately. The Yi Peng 3, a bulk carrier, had dragged its port anchor for a day and a half over 180 nautical miles (over 330 kilometers) in November 2024, the Swedish report said.
The Independent
15-04-2025
- The Independent
Swedish report finds no evidence a Chinese-flagged ship intentionally damaged Baltic Sea cables
Authorities did not find any evidence that a Chinese-flagged ship in the Baltic Sea intentionally damaged two undersea cables last year, according to a Swedish report released Tuesday. The Swedish Accident Investigation Board's report says investigators only had access to limited information and therefore were not able to figure out with certainty whether the data cables were damaged in Swedish waters intentionally or not. Chinese authorities led the investigation, with Sweden taking part as an observer. Swedish prosecutors can continue their own investigation separately. The Yi Peng 3, a bulk carrier, had dragged its port anchor for a day and a half over 180 nautical miles (over 330 kilometers) in November 2024, the Swedish report said.
