Investigation Deepens as Baltic Telecom Cable Damage Continues

Latvian police have found no evidence linking a ship docked in Liepaja's port to telecom cable damage in the Baltic Sea. Though preliminary findings show no ship connection, the investigation continues amid heightened regional vigilance following consistent cable and pipeline outages since 2022.

Latvian authorities, on Monday, announced that there is no evidence linking a ship docked at the Liepaja port to recent damage inflicted on an undersea telecoms cable in the Baltic Sea. Despite this preliminary conclusion, the investigation into the incident continues.

The Baltic Sea region has been on alert following multiple disruptions to power cables, telecom links, and gas pipelines since Russia's invasion of Ukraine in 2022. The NATO alliance, in response, has bolstered its presence in the area through increased deployment of naval and aerial assets. The latest telecom cable outage emerged near Liepaja, with authorities boarding a ship and launching criminal proceedings, although the vessel in question remains unnamed.

In a related incident, Finnish police seized a cargo ship suspected of dragging its anchor across an undersea telecoms link. MarineTraffic data indicated four vessels traversing the Lithuania-Latvia cable on January 2 when the damage was discovered. Latvian police have thoroughly inspected a ship, focusing on its anchor and its crew's cooperation. Although the current findings do not implicate the specific ship, further investigations are ongoing.

(With inputs from agencies.)