Finland Pursues Legal Action Against Crew of Oil Tanker Eagle for Undersea Cable Incident

Image Credits: Finnish Border Guard

A recent report from The Moscow Times reveals that Finnish officials have wrapped up a criminal probe into significant damage inflicted on undersea infrastructure in the Baltic Sea,which was linked to the oil tanker Eagle S. Authorities are now pushing for legal action against three high-ranking crew members.

The individuals in question include the ship’s captain, chief mate, and second mate—each of whom played a crucial role in navigation and safety during the incident that occurred on December 25, 2024. The Eagle S is registered in the Cook Islands and has ties to what’s often referred to as Russia’s “shadow fleet.” It was present when several undersea cables—including one power line and four internet connections—sustained damage between Finland and Estonia.

Following this event, Finnish authorities detained the vessel and restricted its senior officers from departing. Thay have remained in custody sence January 2025.

Investigators found that the tanker’s anchor had dragged across more than 100 kilometers (around 60 miles) of seafloor. This resulted in severe destruction of critical infrastructure like the Estlink 2 power cable along with four telecommunications lines linking Finland with Estonia. In January,Swedish naval forces managed to recover both the anchor and its broken chain.

The National Bureau of Examination (NBI) has confirmed that their inquiry is complete. Detective Chief Inspector Sami Liimatainen led this investigation, focusing on whether these officers should have been aware that their anchor had fallen and was causing damage beneath them. evidence gathered included data from both onboard inspections and interviews with crew members.

As per their findings,NBI suspects these three officers may face charges for aggravated criminal mischief as well as interference with telecommunications—a serious matter under Finnish law that could result in prison time if they are prosecuted successfully.

Despite denying any intent to harm these cables, reports suggest preliminary trial dates might be set soon; a trial could possibly kick off by late August or early September.

The investigation file has now reached prosecutors who will determine if formal charges will be filed against those involved.While no official decision has been made yet, progress is being made toward potential legal proceedings.

A lawyer representing Caravella LLC FZ—the UAE-based owner of eagle S—has refrained from commenting on behalf of the crew but previously argued about jurisdictional issues regarding whether Finland can prosecute since he claims damages occurred outside its territorial waters.

In an captivating parallel case from taiwan, a Chinese captain received a three-year prison sentence after his Togo-registered vessel drifted into restricted waters damaging sensitive undersea cables—a situation where authorities noted clear signs of external impact on those cables too.

This incident raises alarms about regional security concerning vital underwater infrastructure within Baltic waters.Since Sweden and Finland joined NATO following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine back in 2022, there have been multiple instances involving damaged pipelines or cables nearby. Analysts speculate such incidents might be part of hybrid warfare tactics aimed at destabilizing Western infrastructures.

Considering these concerns, Baltic nations are ramping up patrols around vulnerable underwater networks while NATO commits support towards safeguarding these essential assets alongside enhancing maritime security throughout this region.