Norwegian police seize ship suspected of damaging underwater cable
- A Norwegian-owned vessel, the Silver Dania, has been detained by Norwegian police on suspicion of causing damage to an undersea fiber optic cable.
- Authorities detected cable damage in the Baltic Sea last weekend and have since opened investigations into several ships, including the Silver Dania.
- CEO Tormod Fossmark denied involvement of the Silver Dania in any wrongdoing, emphasizing the ship’s compliance and cooperation with the investigation.
In recent investigations, Norwegian authorities took action after suspicions arose regarding a Norwegian-owned ship, Silver Dania, and its involvement in damage to an undersea fiber optic cable connecting Latvia and Gotland, Sweden. This incident unfolded in the Baltic Sea, where severe cable damage was discovered last weekend. Following this, police acted on a request from Latvian officials and a ruling from a Norwegian court, leading to the detainment of the Silver Dania, a vessel with an all-Russian crew, as it sailed between Russian ports. The damage to the fiber optic cable, critical for data transmission between the Baltic nations, was detected on a Sunday, prompting Swedish prosecutors to initiate a preliminary sabotage investigation the same day and order the detention of a Malta-flagged ship, Vezhen, also suspected in the cable damage case. The Swedish prosecutor, Mats Ljungqvist, expressed the belief that the Vezhen was responsible for the cable damage, emphasizing ongoing scrutiny over undersea infrastructure in the region. Tormod Fossmark, CEO of the SilverSea company, which owns the Silver Dania, firmly denied allegations of any wrongdoing, asserting that the ship did not engage in any activities that could have caused damage to the cable. Fossmark highlighted the vessel's tracking data, which they assert shows no irregularities in its voyage. Throughout the investigation, the police have been thoroughly inspecting the ship and conducting interviews without providing further details. The Baltic Sea region has experienced heightened scrutiny regarding undersea infrastructure since the start of Russia's military aggression towards Ukraine in 2022, which raised fears of potential sabotage of critical cables and pipelines. In a related incident, Finland had previously seized a Russian-linked oil tanker following a similar cable cut incident. The geopolitical context, underscored by ongoing tensions, emphasizes the significance of safeguarding critical undersea infrastructure in such vulnerable times and raises concerns about the stability and security of telecommunications in the region.