Tanker Crew Denies Sabotage, Says Anchor Dropped By Technical Faults In Baltic Sea

The trial of three crew members from an oil tanker accused of cutting undersea power and internet cables in the Baltic Sea began in Helsinki on Monday. The men, who face prison terms, have blamed technical faults for the damage.

The incident happened on December 25, 2023, when five cables were damaged in the Baltic Sea. NATO allies stationed around the region went on high alert after the disruption, as it was one of several suspicious incidents involving cables and pipelines in the Baltic since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.

Prosecutors said the Cook Islands-registered Eagle S tanker dragged its 11,000 kg (24,250 lb) anchor along the seabed, cutting through the Estlink 2 electricity cable between Finland and Estonia as well as four telecom cables. The tanker had been sailing from a Russian port through the Gulf of Finland when the damage occurred.

Finnish security forces intercepted the vessel after the incident. Authorities ordered it into Finnish territorial waters, and helicopters deployed personnel who boarded the ship.

The defendants are the tanker’s Georgian captain, Davit Vadatchkoria, his first officer, also Georgian, and Indian second officer Santosh Kumar Chuarasia. All three pleaded not guilty. They argued that the anchor had dropped accidentally because of bad weather and mechanical faults with the anchor winch.

Prosecutor Heidi Nummela told the court that investigators did not find proof of deliberate manipulation of the anchor system. However, she said the failure of all three backup safety mechanisms showed at minimum gross negligence by the crew. Prosecutors are seeking prison sentences of 2.5 years for aggravated criminal mischief and aggravated interference with telecommunications.

The case also involves financial claims, with cable operators demanding tens of millions of euros in damages. The defendants have rejected the claims and questioned whether Finland has the legal authority to try the case, since the cable cuts happened in international waters.

During a break in the hearing, second officer Chuarasia told reporters that the case was a “normal marine accident” and not sabotage. He said the anchor had fallen because of mechanical malfunction and bad weather, and that he trusted the court to decide in their favour. Captain Vadatchkoria did not give any comment. His lawyer, Tommi Heinonen, told the court that the incident should be treated as an accident at sea.

Court documents presented by prosecutors said the first cut took place at 12:26 p.m. (1026 GMT) when the Eagle S severed the Estlink 2 power cable. The vessel then sailed on for three hours at a reduced speed. At 3:20 p.m., Finnish marine authorities contacted the crew and asked if the anchor was secured. The crew responded that it was, but prosecutors said this was not true.

The tanker later cut four more internet cables between 6 p.m. and 7 p.m. that day. Prosecutors argued this showed clear intent. Defence lawyers countered that the crew had no reason to suspect the anchor was down. They said the tanker’s mechanical engineer, who is not facing charges, believed the vessel’s reduced speed was due to an engine problem.

Just last week, a Ukrainian national was arrested in connection with the 2022 Nord Stream gas pipeline explosions, which Moscow and Western governments both described as sabotage. That incident had also largely cut off Russian gas supplies to Europe.

References: Reuters, straitstimes

Source: Maritime Shipping News