The Swedish Navy has recovered the anchor of the Eagle S oil tanker, suspected of damaging critical undersea cables in the Gulf of Finland. The operation was conducted with the multi-role vessel HMS Belos, designed for submarine rescue, and the anchor is now in the custody of Finnish authorities, Report informs via Helsinki Times.
Finnish police suspect that the anchor was deliberately dragged along the seabed, cutting the Estlink 2 power cable between Finland and Estonia and damaging four data cables on Christmas Day.
The Central Criminal Police (KRP) has launched an investigation into the anchor and the alleged sabotage.
According to Yle, the anchor was retrieved from depths of up to 80 metres during a joint Finnish-Swedish operation. The anchor's exact recovery location and condition have not been disclosed. HMS Belos has since returned to Sweden.
Risto Lohi, lead investigator from the KRP, confirmed that the investigation would proceed as planned, stating that the evidence collected would guide further steps. Eight crew members of the Eagle S, sailing under the Cook Islands flag, remain under travel bans as part of the inquiry.
Reports have surfaced linking the Eagle S to another suspicious incident off the Dutch coast in November 2023. Dutch media revealed that the tanker loitered for hours near the Atlantic Crossing 1 telecommunications cable in the North Sea, behaviour described as "undeniably suspicious" by Rob de Wijk, a professor at Leiden University.
The vessel’s previous inspection in Belgium in 2023 uncovered numerous safety deficiencies, including poor maintenance and malfunctioning equipment.
The Eagle S has been implicated in broader geopolitical tensions. Russian media and political commentators have indirectly claimed responsibility for cable damage in the Baltic Sea, framing it as a response to NATO activity in the region.
A discussion on Russia's NTV channel suggested the vessel belongs to Russia's "shadow fleet" and alleged that the anchor damage was intentional. Russian officials have not publicly confirmed ownership of the tanker.
Finnish authorities have worked with counterparts in Sweden and the Cook Islands throughout the investigation. The Finnish Transport and Communications Agency (Traficom) has also completed a thorough inspection of the Eagle S, assessing its technical condition, crew welfare, and compliance with environmental and maritime regulations.
The case has raised concerns about undersea infrastructure security. NATO has pledged to increase its presence in the Baltic Sea to deter future sabotage. Experts warn that attacks on critical infrastructure, such as data and power cables, could have significant geopolitical consequences.