Finland has retrieved a large ship’s anchor near the site of the significantly damaged Baltic Sea gas pipeline. Finnish authorities are investigating whether it originated from a Chinese container ship. Finnish police have said a Chinese ship whose movement coincided with the time and place of the suspected sabotage of a pipeline between Finland and Estonia that was damaged this month is now the focus of their investigation.
Finland’s central criminal police (KRP) said on Tuesday that the anchor, weighing 6 tonnes and missing one of its prongs, had been lifted from the seabed using a navy crane. Deep drag marks were found on both sides of the fractured pipeline.
The country’s National Bureau of Investigation (NBI), which last week said inquiries were focused on the Hong Kong-flagged, Chinese-owned NewNew Polar Bear, told reporters in Helsinki on Tuesday that the container ship was missing a front anchor.
Police also confirmed the damage was caused by “an external mechanical force” and that they had found “a heavy object” near the damaged pipeline.
“A recently formed huge clump of soil containing probably an extremely heavy object has been found in the seabed,” Lohi said.
The police will attempt to lift the object from the seabed, where it lies deep in the clay, to investigate whether it is connected to the damaged pipeline. The National Bureau of Investigation said this week it was investigating Newnew Polarbear and a Russian ship, Sevmorput, both of which they said were in the area at the time of the incident. After completing its crime scene investigation into the gas pipeline damage on Thursday, samples are now being analysed in in the bureau’s forensic library.
NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg announced on Sunday that the alliance is responsible for protecting “tens of thousands of kilometers” of undersea infrastructure, including internet and power cables, as well as gas and oil pipelines, stretching from the Baltic to the Mediterranean Sea.
“These types of undersea critical infrastructure are vulnerable,” Stoltenberg acknowledged. He noted that NATO had intensified patrols in the Baltic following recent incidents and was collaborating with the private sector, which owns the majority of this critical infrastructure.
In response to a series of unexplained explosions last year that damaged three out of four Nord Stream pipelines—key conduits for Russian gas to Western Europe—the alliance inaugurated a new center dedicated to safeguarding undersea pipelines and cables this past June.
Do we have any updates on whether the heavy object found near the damaged pipeline is indeed connected to the suspected sabotage incident involving the Chinese container ship?
Yes, the police confirmed that the heavy object found near the damaged pipeline is being investigated in connection to the suspected sabotage incident involving the Chinese container ship. The authorities are working to lift the object from the seabed for further examination.
I believe it’s crucial for authorities to thoroughly investigate the connection between the Chinese container ship and the damaged pipeline. If the anchor and the heavy object found near the site are linked to the sabotage, it could have significant implications for the region’s energy security.
It is concerning to hear about the suspected sabotage of the Baltic Sea gas pipeline. If the anchor indeed belongs to the Chinese container ship, it raises serious questions about the intention behind the damage. Hopefully, the investigation sheds light on this incident and ensures the safety of such vital infrastructure.
As an avid follower of maritime news, I find this situation concerning. It seems like a deliberate act of sabotage, and the involvement of the Chinese container ship raises many questions. I hope the authorities get to the bottom of this and ensure such incidents are prevented in the future.
It’s concerning to see the potential involvement of the Chinese container ship in the sabotage of the Baltic Sea gas pipeline. The authorities must thoroughly investigate and hold those responsible accountable for such actions.
It’s concerning that there is suspicion of sabotage on such a crucial pipeline. The investigation into the Chinese container ship’s potential involvement definitely raises eyebrows. Hopefully, Finnish authorities can uncover the truth behind this incident.
I believe the investigation should focus on the Chinese container ship as the prime suspect, considering the coinciding movement with the pipeline sabotage incident. It’s concerning to think about the possible implications of such actions on the Baltic Sea region.