Finland Investigates EstLink 2 Damage Allegedly Caused by Russia-Linked Tanker Anchor

Investigators found a kilometers-long anchor mark on the Gulf of Finland's seabed, but the exact dislodging point is unclear.
  • Defensemirror.com bureau
  • 07:40 AM, December 30, 2024
  • 772
Finland Investigates EstLink 2 Damage Allegedly Caused by Russia-Linked Tanker Anchor
Oil tanker Eagle S @via social media

Finnish police have launched a detailed investigation after the EstLink 2 power line between Finland and Estonia was disrupted on December 25, allegedly by the anchor of the Cook Islands-flagged tanker Eagle S.

Investigators discovered an anchor mark spanning tens of kilometers on the Gulf of Finland's seabed, though the exact location where the anchor may have dislodged remains unknown, according to Sami Pyle, head of the investigation.

Authorities are conducting forensic inspections aboard the detained Eagle S, questioning its crew of more than 20 individuals from India and Georgia. Finnish officials suspect the tanker of carrying Russian raw materials in Helsinki, but no evidence has been presented to substantiate this claim.

The Eagle S is linked to Russia's shadow fleet, a group of aging vessels often used to circumvent international sanctions on Russian oil exports. The caps were introduced after Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. To bypass restrictions, the Kremlin invested billions in a fleet of unmarked tankers, often flying flags of nations like Gabon, to sell oil to countries like India and China, which are not bound by the cap. Nearly 70% of Russia’s oil is now transported by these "shadow tankers," according to an October analysis by the Kyiv School of Economics Institute.

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