2025 Elisa data cable incident

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2025 Elisa data cable incident
9250397 Fitburg 2001.jpg
Fitburg in 2001
Date31 December 2025
Time4:53 (Eastern European Time)
Location Gulf of Finland, Baltic Sea
TypeMaritime incident
CauseUnder investigation; suspected sabotage
Suspects14 crew members detained

At 4:53 EET Finnish telecommuncation company Elisa noticed a disruption in a data cable connecting Finland and Estonia. Finnish police and coastguard approached the location in the Finnish exclusive economic zone and boarded the freighter Fitburg, which was found with its anchor lowered. The ship was traveling under the flag of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines and was, according to marine traffic website, en route from Saint Petersburg to Haifa. The crew was detained and the ship was brought to the Finnish port of Kantvik, where it arrived at 17:00 EET. [1] [2]

Contents

Incident

Finnish telecommuncation company Elisa noticed a problem with a cable by 4:53 EET. On the same day Finlands authorities were informed of disruptions in other telecommunications cables operated by telecommuncation company Arelion in Estonia's economic zone. [1]

Seizure

The costguard vessel Turva and a helicopter approached the location in the Finnish exclusive economic zone and boarded the 132-metre freighter Fitburg. 14 crewmembers were detained. The crew was composed of nationals from Russia, Georgia, Kazakhstan and Azerbaijan. The Finnish police did initially not comment on the nationality of the captain. [1]

Investigation

Deputy Prosecutor General Jukka Rappe told journalists on 31 December he had ordered Finlands National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) to open a preliminary probe. [2] The offences under investigation were reported on 1 January 2026 as aggravated interference with telecommunications, aggravated criminal damage and attempted aggravated criminal damage. [3]

According to investigators, a Turkish company operated the Fitburg at the time of the incident. While searching the vessel, Finnish customs officers found a load of Russian structural steel, a product sanctioned by the European Union. [4]

See also

References

  1. 1 2 3 "Fitburg brought to port after Elisa cable damage in Baltic Sea". helsinkitimes.fi. 31 December 2025. Retrieved 31 December 2025.
  2. 1 2 "Finnish authorities seize vessel following sea cable disruption". yle.fi. 31 December 2025. Retrieved 31 December 2025.
  3. ↑ "Finnish police question cargo ship crew over damaged telecoms cable". yle.fi. 1 January 2026. Retrieved 1 January 2026.
  4. ↑ "Finnish Customs: Sanctioned Russian steel found on Fitburg". yle.fi. 1 January 2026. Retrieved 1 January 2026.
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