Finnish authorities formally charged three officers from the Cook Islands-registered oil tanker Eagle S with sabotage for allegedly severing critical undersea infrastructure in the Gulf of Finland in December 2024.
The vessel’s captain, first officer, and second officer face accusations of “aggravated criminal mischief and aggravated interference with communications” after purportedly dragging the ship’s anchor along the seabed for approximately 90 kilometres.
This action reportedly damaged the EstLink 2 submarine power cable and four telecommunications cables linking Finland to Estonia on Christmas Day, 25 December, as confirmed by Finland’s Deputy Prosecutor General’s office.
The defendants, whose nationalities remain undisclosed, have contested Finland’s jurisdictional authority during preliminary investigations, arguing the incident occurred outside its territorial waters. Despite this, prosecutors emphasise the incident “caused a serious risk to energy supply and telecommunications in Finland,” extending the impact beyond immediate repair costs exceeding €60 million.
This incident aligns with a broader pattern of hybrid warfare tactics observed in the Baltic region, where multiple undersea cables have suffered damage since 2022. The accession of Sweden and Finland to NATO after the outbreak of the war in Ukraine intensified security concerns, prompting heightened by the alliance in these strategically important waters.
Prosecutors detailed that the vessel’s anchor was deliberately deployed in a manner inconsistent with standard maritime practices, directly causing the destruction. While the defendants deny all charges, forensic analysis of the vessel’s trajectory and seabed scarring forms a core component of the evidence.
