Finnish authorities have accused senior officers on the Russian-related tanker of criminal charges related to the underground cable break in the Baltic Sea between Finland and Estonia late last year.
The Eagle S tanker was accused of dragging its anchor and severing the Estlink-2 power cable and communication cables between Finland and Estonia on December 25, 2024.
The Eagle S is flying the Cook Islands flag, but according to Finnish customs officials and the European Commission, the ship belongs to the Russian shadow fleet, which includes old tankers with no clear owners to avoid Western sanctions against Russia.
At the time of the incident, the Eagle S was carrying 35,000 tons of oil. Investigators said the ship dragged anchor to create a scratch nearly 100 km long on the seabed, before being stopped and taken to an area near a Finnish port.
According to the statement of the Finnish police on June 13, three senior officers, including the captain, first vice captain and second vice captain, who are responsible for the safe journey, guidance and operation of the ship, are being suspected of being seriously sabotage and seriously obstructing the telecommunications system.
The criminal investigation has reviewed and assessed their responsibility in managing the ships condition and the extent to which they should have recognized that the anchor had fallen into the sea, said Sami Liimatainen, chief inspector in charge of the case under the Finnish National Bureau of Investigation.
Sami Liimatainen revealed that all three senior officers on board denied the allegations.
The results of the investigation into the power cable break have been transferred by the Finnish National Investigation Agency to the Finnish Public Prosecutor's Office for consideration of the possibility of prosecution.
A lawyer representing Caravella LLC FZ, a company based in the United Arab Emirates, owner of the Eagle S, said it could not comment on behalf of the crew because it did not legally represent these individuals.
However, the lawyer had previously asserted that the Eagle S had caused damage to underwater equipment outside Finnish territorial waters, so Helsinki had no authority to intervene.
The Baltic Sea region is currently on high alert for sabotage risks, following a series of incidents with power cables, gas pipelines and telecommunications infrastructure. However, underwater infrastructure can also encounter problems due to technical problems or unexpected accidents.
Underground cables and gas pipelines in the Baltic Sea play a role in connecting Nordic countries, the Baltic and Central Europe, contributing to promoting trade, ensuring energy security and in many cases, reducing dependence on energy sources from Russia.
The Estlink-2 cable could provide about half of Estonia's winter power needs. The incident caused by the Eagle S did not disrupt service but also contributed to the increase in electricity prices in Baltic countries.
The Estlink-2 cable line is about 145 km long, reaching a depth of 90m at its deepest point, on one of the busiest shipping routes in Europe.
