- A Chinese cargo ship is under investigation related to severed data cables in the Baltic Sea.
- A probe found that the vessel steamed ahead while dragging its anchor for more than 100 miles.
- Western officials believe Russia most likely orchestrated the attack on EU maritime infrastructure.
A Chinese cargo ship is at the centre of an international investigation for intentionally dragging its anchor over 100 miles in the Baltic Sea, severing two crucial undersea data cables, reports Wall Street Journal.
The incident has increased tensions between China, Europe and Russia, about possible sabotage.
Undersea cable attack threatens NATO
On November 17, a 225-meter-long bulk carrier loaded with Russian fertilizer, departed from the Russian port of Ust-Luga. The investigators believe the ship dropped its anchor and dragged it along the sea bed as it entered Swedish waters. This action severed a fibre-optic cable between Sweden and Lithuania.
The vessel’s tracking transponder, known as AIS, went dark, which complicated monitoring efforts. Hours later, after travelling about 111 miles, the ship allegedly cut a second cable between Germany and Finland.
Investigators say that the ship’s speed reduced greatly, which clearly indicates that an anchor was being dragged. After the second incident, the ship began zigzagging, raised its anchored, and continued.
Danish navy ships intercepted and forced it to anchor in the Kattegat Strait. An inspection of the anchor revealed damage similar to hitting the cables. The flukes were twisted with immense force.
It seems impossible for accidental damage given the calm weather. A senior European investigator said that it’s extremely unlikely that the captain wouldn’t have noticed the anchor dragging for hours.
Despite the vessel being owned by China, speculations are that Russia is involved. The ship’s captain is a Russian national, and the vessel has made frequent stops at Russian ports recently. Russian intelligence may have persuaded the crew, as per the investigators.
Currently, the vessel is surrounded by NATO warships from Denmark, Germany and Sweden. Under international law, NATO ships cannot board the vessel without China’s permission, and negotiations are underway.
Geopolitical implications of undersea cable sabotage
Sweden has asked the ship to return to its territorial waters for investigation, but Chinese authorities have not yet responded. Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson says they want to know what caused this. Meanwhile, China denies any wrongdoing. Russia has also dismissed the allegations as “absurd” and pointed to Ukraine.
Undersea data cables, also known as submarine communications cables, are long, fibre-optic cables laid on the seabed that carry data between countries and continents.
The cables use light signals to transmit data at an incredibly high speed. The cables are protected by layers of steel, copper and waterproof materials to withstand the harsh underwater environment. These cables are important because 95% of the world’s internet traffic travels through undersea cables, including emails, phone calls, financial transactions, and streaming services.
Satellites only handle a small fraction of data compared to these cables. Many countries depend on these cables for secure communications. If a cable is damaged or cut, it can disrupt military communications and intelligence-sharing networks.
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Source: Wall Street Journal
