By Andrius Sytas and Nerijus Adomaitis
VILNIUS (Reuters) – The three incidents which resulted in damage to a gas pipeline and two telecom cables between Estonia, Finland and Sweden “are related”, Estonian Prime Minister Kaja Kallas said in a statement.
Finnish police have named the Chinese-owned and Hong-Kong-flagged container carrier NewNew Polar Bear as the prime suspect in damaging the Balticconnector Finland-Estonia gas pipeline early on Oct. 8.
A large anchor was found near the pipeline, and the investigators believe the pipe was broken as a ship dragged it along the sea bed.
Two telecom cables were also damaged that night, connecting Estonia to Finland and Sweden. Helsinki is investigating the pipeline incident, while Tallinn is looking into the cables incidents.
Estonia’s investigation into the Estonia-Finland cable damage was also focused on the Chinese vessel, and on Thursday evening Estonian Prime Minister stated all three incidents are likely connected.
“We have reason to believe that the cases of Balticconnector and communication cables are related,” she said in a governmental statement.
“We continue to find out the circumstances in close cooperation with Finland and Sweden and other allies and partners”, she added. “Currently, no version can be confirmed or denied regarding Estonian communication cables.”
Reuters reported that two vessels, NewNew Polar Bear and Russia-flagged Sevmorput, were present at all three sites around the time of the damage, according to data from MarineTraffic, a ship-tracking and maritime analytics provider.
NewNew Polar Bear sailed over the Estonia-Sweden cable 133 kilometres before reaching the pipeline damage site.
It then crossed the Estonia-Finland cable 32 kilometres after the gas pipeline, according to MarineTraffic.
NATO has stepped up patrols in the Baltic sea after the incidents, and Norwegian navy has shadowed NewNew Polar Bear as it sailed over country’s key pipelines.
China is willing to provide necessary information in accordance with international law regarding an investigation on damage to a Baltic Sea gas pipeline, the foreign ministry said on Wednesday at a regular press briefing.
(Reporting by Andrius Sytas in Vilnius and Nerijus Adomaitis in Oslo; editing by David Evans)
