The vessel named Fitburg was en route from St. Petersburg to Haifa. Border guards boarded the ship around 11 AM, approximately six hours after the first reports of cable damage. As a result of the operation, 14 crew members were detained, including citizens of Russia. According to police information, the ship was found with its anchor dropped into the sea.
Heikki Kopperoinen, the deputy head of the Helsinki police, reported that a helicopter recorded the vessel dragging its anchor along the seabed. He added that it is too early to draw conclusions about whether this was a deliberate act or an accident.
Investigative authorities noted that the crew, consisting of sailors from Russia, Georgia, Kazakhstan, and Azerbaijan, will be questioned. The vessel, registered under the flag of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, was directed to a port near Helsinki. At the time of its discovery, it was located in Finland's exclusive economic zone.
The Finnish police have initiated a preliminary investigation into charges of significant property damage and interference with telecommunications systems. The damaged cables are located in the Gulf of Finland between Finland and Estonia and belong to the Finnish company Elisa and the Swedish company Arelion. Communication has been rerouted through alternative channels.
Additionally, Finnish customs authorities reported that the vessel was carrying Russian steel, which is subject to European Union sanctions.
