Chinese Ship Identified in Two European Undersea Cable Destruction
In mid-November 2024, two critical undersea fiber-optic cables in the Baltic Sea were severed within 24 hours, disrupting internet connectivity between Finland, Germany, Sweden, and Lithuania.
The cables affected were the BCS East-West Interlink, connecting Sweden and Lithuania, and the C-Lion1, linking Finland and Germany. The simultaneous damage to these cables raised immediate concerns about potential sabotage.
German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius stated, "No one believes that these cables were cut accidentally. Therefore, we have to state, without knowing specifically who it came from, that it is a 'hybrid' action. And we also have to assume, without knowing it yet, that it is sabotage."
Investigations quickly focused on the Chinese-flagged bulk carrier Yi Peng 3, which had been in the vicinity of both cable disruptions. The vessel had departed from the Russian port of Ust-Luga and was en route through the Baltic Sea during the incidents. Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson urged the ship to move into Swedish waters to facilitate the investigation, emphasizing the need for cooperation without making premature accusations.
The Danish military monitored the Yi Peng 3 as it remained anchored in international waters between Denmark and Sweden. Naval vessels from Denmark, Sweden, Germany, and occasionally Russia, kept a close watch on the area. Authorities from Sweden, Denmark, and Finland pressed China to allow investigators on board the vessel, noting that while Chinese officials were cooperative, negotiations would take time.
It should be noted that as of the time of this writing, the Yi Peng 3 is still anchored only 100m outside Danish territorial waters, where the “The Danish Defence can confirm that we are present in the area near the Chinese ship Yi Peng 3,” said Henrik Hall Mortensen, a Danish military spokesman, in an email.
According to Reuters, Katja Bego, Senior Research Fellow at Chatham House, told Reuters that, while between 150-200 such breaches occur every year and the overwhelming majority are accidents, geopolitical tensions in the region meant an investigation was probably warranted.
"Investigating incidents like this can take a long time, and even if the culprit is found, as appears to be the case here, proving intent is incredibly difficult," she said. "Neither sabotage nor an accident can be ruled out at this point."
This incident follows a similar event in October 2023, when the Chinese container ship Newnew Polar Bear damaged a gas pipeline and several data cables in the Baltic Sea by dragging its anchor along the seabed during a storm.
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The recent disruptions have heightened concerns about the vulnerability of undersea infrastructure. European officials are on alert for potential sabotage of crucial infrastructure and communications , with intelligence officials focusing their suspicion on Russia for many incidents. However, the involvement of Chinese vessels in two separate incidents has sparked intense diplomatic efforts with Beijing.