Cyprus Times

Finland: Ship Seized for Damage to Subsea Cable – 14 Crew Members Detained

Published December 31, 2025, 17:07
Finland: Ship Seized for Damage to Subsea Cable – 14 Crew Members Detained

Finnish police have seized the cargo ship 'Fitburg', sailing under the flag of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, on suspicion of causing damage to a subsea telecommunications cable connecting Finland and Estonia. Simultaneously, 14 crew members, consisting of Russians, Georgians, Kazakhs, and Azerbaijanis, have been detained. The investigation concerns the offenses of serious disruption of telecommunications, aggravated damage, and attempted aggravated damage. Police were alerted to the incident by the coast guard, which found the ship's anchor chain in the sea while the vessel was underway. The ship was en route from Saint Petersburg to Israel. The damage to the cable caused an interruption in telecommunications between the two countries.