- Investigation Finds Weather and Technical Failures Behind Incident.
- Anchor Malfunction During Storm Caused Cable Break.
- Prosecutors Confirm No Deliberate Act Involved.
Swedish prosecutors have wrapped up their investigation into the damage of a communication cable that connects Sweden and Latvia, determining that the incident was accidental rather than an act of sabotage. The inquiry kicked off after the undersea fibre optic cable was damaged on January 26, 2025. Initially, authorities detained a bulk vessel on suspicion of serious sabotage, but they released it in early February, reports gCaptain.
Investigation Points to Weather and Technical Failures
“Through a swift, effective coordinated effort by the Security Police, the Police Authority, the Coast Guard, and the Armed Forces, the causes of the cable break have been clarified,” said Senior Prosecutor Mats Ljungqvist at the National Security Unit. “The investigation clearly shows that the cable break was caused by a combination of severe weather, technical deficiencies, and suspected inadequate seamanship on the vessel in question.”
Investigators conducted a thorough crime scene examination, looked into the vessel’s black box, and reviewed footage that captured the events leading up to the damage. Their findings pointed to a series of failures that ultimately caused the accident.
Severe Weather and Anchor Malfunction
On the night of January 25, the Baltic Sea experienced high waves and strong winds. The vessel’s anchor system, which was supposed to be secured by three independent safety devices, faced issues; two of the devices were out of order, and the only one that was functioning failed after a powerful wave hit. This led to the anchor and chain being fully deployed, which slowed and turned the vessel. However, since the autopilot was still engaged, it adjusted automatically without setting off any alarms. The next day, as the vessel passed by Gotland, the dragging anchor ended up damaging the undersea communication cable.
Authorities Confirm No Sabotage
“We can therefore conclude that the cable was not damaged through a deliberate act,” said Ljungqvist. “Jurisdiction to handle any negligence offenses does not exist.”
The vessel’s operator had previously stated that the anchor dropped to the seabed during strong winds and may have hit the cable, but denied any deliberate action.
Case Handed Over to Latvian Investigators
In the spring of 2025, the preliminary investigation was handed over to Latvian authorities, who are now conducting their own inquiry into the incident. This case comes at a time when the Baltic Sea region is on high alert due to a series of disruptions involving power cables, telecom lines, and gas pipelines since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022.
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Source: gCaptain
