FINLAND’S National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) has revealed its investigation into the rupture of the Estlink 2 sea cable is still at an “early stage”.
Cook Islands-flagged oil tanker Eagle S remains the focal point of Finnish authorities’ investigation over therecent incident which saw the subsea power cable linking Finland and Estonia damaged.
Finnish police, in cooperation with other authorities, successfully transferred Eagle S to the Svartbeck inner anchorage, near Porvoo, on 28 December following the NBI’s seizure of the vessel.
Police said the transfer was conducted because, from their point of view, the new location offers a better option for carrying out investigative measures.
Further, the police have set up a one-nautical-mile exclusion zone around Eagle S to ensure operational safety for authorities, with a no-fly zone currently in effect around Sköldvik Bay.
The NBI’s detective chief inspector Elina Katajamäki said authorities have taken care of the maintenance of both the vessel and the crew during the investigation.
“In addition, the police have seized devices related to the vessel’s passage, and the data contained in them is being analysed,” Katajamäki said.
Katajamäki confirmed that the subsea investigation had been suspended yesterday due to difficult weather conditions.
The NBI further confirmed it has continued taking investigative measures and questioning of crew members aboard Eagle S.
Authorities said the purpose is to create an overall picture of what happened onboard, and said the questionings have been carried out in good cooperation with the crew.
Finnish police did however confirm, in respect of the underwater operations, that it had been able to identify the dragging track at the seabed from the beginning to the end.
“The track is dozens of kilometres in length. For the time being, the possible location where the anchor came off has not been established,” said NBI detective chief inspector Sami Paila.
Finnish Customs has detained the vessel’s cargo of fuel and is reportedly continuing the preliminary inquiries related to a possible aggravated regulation offence.
Eagle S is suspected to be involved in Russian-linked “dark fleet” operations, with its most recent call reportedly at the Russian port of Ust-Luga, a known oil port.
Finnish police stated the suspected offences are aggravated criminal mischief and aggravated interference of communications, of which the latter was filed on 28 December.
Whilst its primary function is to transmit electricity, the Estlink 2 cable also has a telecommunications function.
Authorities said it is possible that the offences will become “more specific” or even change as the criminal investigation progresses.
