Sweden has launched an investigation into the latest damage to an underwater communication cable in the Baltic Sea, located near the strategic island of Gotland.
The incident, which became known on Friday, February 21, was confirmed by both the Swedish Coast Guard and Armed Forces. According to the Coast Guard, the damage was discovered near Gotland on Thursday, though the exact timing remains unclear. An investigation has been initiated.
“It is believed that the cable damage may have occurred in Sweden’s economic zone near Gotland. This is a cable connecting Finland and Germany. Our ship is heading to the location to assist with the investigation,” the Coast Guard’s press service stated on Friday morning.
Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson acknowledged that he had been informed of the incident “for some time” and had been in contact with the relevant authorities. “We take all reports of potential infrastructure damage in the Baltic Sea very seriously. As I’ve said before, they should be viewed in the context of the current complex security situation,” he commented.
Earlier, at the end of January, the Swedish prosecutor’s office began investigating a possible act of sabotage following damage to another underwater fiber-optic cable connecting Latvia to Gotland. The investigation focused on the bulk carrier Vezhen, which passed near the damaged cable at 00:45 GMT on Sunday, January 26, but later concluded there were no signs of sabotage.
