Finnish Authorities Detain Fitburg Over Cable Damage Case

Finnish officials seized the cargo ship Fitburg on December 31 on suspicion that it caused damage to an undersea telecommunications cable linking Helsinki and Tallinn.

At the time of the incident, the vessel was sailing from St. Petersburg in Russia to Haifa in Israel. Authorities reported that the ship’s anchor was seen dragging along the seabed in the Gulf of Finland, in the area where the cable was later found to be damaged.

The Finnish Border Guard intercepted the vessel within Finland’s Exclusive Economic Zone using the patrol ship Turva, supported by a helicopter. After being detained, the Fitburg was escorted to the port of Kantvik, located approximately 30 kilometers west of Helsinki.

Inspections carried out later on December 31 revealed that the vessel was carrying Russian steel subject to international sanctions. Finnish authorities believe the cargo falls under European Union sanctions that ban the import of such materials into the EU. Officials are continuing to assess whether EU sanctions legislation fully applies in this case. The cargo remains confiscated, and a preliminary investigation is underway.

In parallel, Finnish authorities have opened a criminal investigation into the cable damage. The suspected offenses include aggravated criminal damage, attempted aggravated criminal damage, and aggravated interference with telecommunications.

All 14 crew members were detained as part of the investigation, following suspicions that the vessel’s anchor caused the damage to the undersea cable. Two crew members have been arrested, while two others have been placed under a travel ban.

Finnish telecommunications company Elisa confirmed that the damaged cable did not disrupt customer services, as traffic was successfully rerouted through alternative connections.