NATO vessels have surrounded a Chinese cargo ship suspected of deliberately damaging two critical undersea internet cables connecting Northern Europe, as investigators probe potential sabotage.
The Yi Peng 3, a Chinese-flagged bulk carrier, is currently stopped in international waters between Denmark and Sweden after allegedly severing the BCS East-West Interlink and C-Lion1 cables last week. The damaged cables provided internet connectivity between Finland, Sweden, Lithuania, and Germany.
Investigators believe the ship's crew intentionally dropped and dragged its anchor for over 100 miles, first cutting the cable connecting Sweden to Lithuania, then damaging the Finland-Germany line the following day. The ship's transponder was reportedly turned off during these incidents, preventing tracking of its movements.
"The captain would have noticed the ship dropping anchor and losing speed for hours," noted one investigator involved in the case. Physical evidence, including damage to the ship's anchor and hull, appears consistent with cable dragging.
While Swedish authorities are negotiating with the vessel's owner, Ningbo Yipeng Shipping, to return to Swedish waters, they cannot compel the ship's cooperation under maritime law since it remains in international waters.
Though the vessel flies a Chinese flag with Chinese crew, Western authorities suspect Russian involvement rather than Chinese state action. The ship reportedly changed its routes in early 2024 to begin servicing Russian ports with cargo like coal and fertilizer.
The Kremlin dismissed the accusations as "absurd and unsubstantiated," while China's Foreign Ministry expressed support for protecting submarine infrastructure under international law.
This incident occurs amid heightened concerns over the security of undersea infrastructure in European waters, following previous cases of suspected sabotage targeting critical communication lines.