A Chinese vessel is suspected of deliberately severing communication cables in the Baltic Sea, according to the Wall Street Journal.

The crew of the Chinese bulk carrier Yi Peng is suspected of severing communication cables in the Baltic Sea. For a week, they have been under guard by European military vessels in international waters.

This was reported by RBK-Ukraine citing The Wall Street Journal.

According to WSJ, the crew of the Chinese vessel, which was transporting Russian fertilizers, may have deliberately cut two crucial data transmission cables between Finland and Germany, as well as Sweden and Lithuania. This incident occurred while the ship was dragging its anchor along the bottom of the Baltic Sea for over 160 kilometers.

Investigators are focusing on whether the captain of the Chinese vessel was recruited by Russian intelligence. Law enforcement officials believe it is unlikely that the captain did not see the dropped anchor, which slowed the ship for hours and severed cables in its path.

It is known that the vessel departed from the Russian Baltic port of Ust-Luga on November 15. The severing of the cables became known on November 18.

The investigation has already established that the anchor first cut the cable between Sweden and Lithuania. After that, the vessel's transponder, which tracks its movement on the automatic identification system, was turned off. The bulk carrier then continued its journey and cut the second cable between Germany and Finland. Following this, Yi Peng 3 began to zigzag, lifted its anchor, and proceeded further.

What happened to the cables in the Baltic Sea

Two underwater telecommunications cables in the Baltic Sea have been damaged, one of which connected Helsinki and Rostock. The reasons are being investigated, but German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius suggested that the damage could have been intentional.

The Chinese cargo ship Yi Peng 3, captained by a Russian and drawing attention due to its route, is under suspicion. The Danish Navy stopped the vessel for inspection.

Later, it became known that the underwater cable C-Lion1, connecting Finland and Germany across the Baltic Sea, was found to be damaged.

The cable, which is 1,173 km long, connects Helsinki and Rostock, serving since 2016 as the only direct route between Finland and Central Europe.

Additionally, damage to the cable between Lithuania and Sweden has also been discovered in the Baltic Sea.