Sweden Concludes Baltic Cable Damage Was Accidental

Swedish authorities have completed their investigation into the undersea cable that was severed in the Baltic Sea earlier this year. After reviewing all available evidence, officials determined that the incident in January was the result of a series of mechanical and environmental failures rather than any deliberate or hostile action.

The vessel initially suspected of causing the damage was the Vezhen, a Maltese-flagged bulk carrier detained on January 26, soon after the incident occurred. The ship was released on February 3 following a series of investigations by different agencies.

According to Sweden’s final report, issued in October, the cable break was caused by a combination of severe weather conditions, technical faults, and navigational lapses. At the time, the Vezhen was struggling through heavy seas. Its anchor - normally secured by three separate systems - was held in place by only one, as the other two mechanisms had been out of order for some time. A strong wave eventually dislodged the anchor, allowing it to drop and drag along the seabed.

As the anchor dragged, it slowed the ship and pulled it slightly off course. The vessel’s automated navigation system corrected its heading without setting off alarms for the crew. By the next day, the Vezhen had drifted into Sweden’s Exclusive Economic Zone, where the dragging anchor damaged the undersea communication cable.

While Sweden has now closed its investigation, a parallel inquiry by Latvian authorities into the same incident remains in progress.