Norway Detains Russian-Crewed Ship Suspected of Sabotaging Undersea Cable
Norway Detains Russian-Crewed Ship Suspected of Sabotaging Undersea Cable
Norwegian authorities have seized a Russian-crewed vessel suspected of damaging an undersea cable in the Baltic Sea, marking the latest incident in a series of apparent sabotage acts targeting critical maritime infrastructure. The Norwegian police announced the detention on Friday, acting on a request from Latvian authorities and a court order issued in Norway. The move follows damage to a submarine cable linking Sweden and Latvia earlier this week.
This incident adds to a growing pattern of disruptions to undersea infrastructure in the Baltic Sea, including communication cables and electricity distribution networks. In response to similar events, NATO has intensified its patrols and surveillance operations in the region. Concerns over such sabotage have escalated since the 2022 explosions that destroyed the Nord Stream natural gas pipelines, which connected Russia to Western Europe.
On Thursday evening, the Norwegian Coast Guard and police surrounded the suspect vessel, the Silver Dania, a Norwegian-owned and registered cargo ship with a Russian crew. The 36-year-old vessel, which was sailing between the Russian ports of St. Petersburg and Murmansk, was towed to the Port of Tromsø on Friday morning. Authorities boarded the ship to search for evidence and question the 11 crew members in connection with the damaged cable.
Prosecutor Ronny Jørgensen stated during a televised news conference that the ship is suspected of carrying individuals involved in the cable incident, which is being classified as “serious vandalism.” He noted that the Silver Dania is one of several vessels under investigation, though no crew members have been detained or charged at this stage.
The ship’s owner, Silver Sea, denied any wrongdoing. CEO Tormod Fossmark told Norwegian media that the company had voluntarily agreed to dock in a Norwegian port for inspection and was fully cooperating with authorities.
This incident follows another act of suspected sabotage earlier in the week, when Swedish authorities detained a bulk carrier owned by a Bulgarian shipping company and flying a Maltese flag. The vessel was linked to what Swedish officials described as “gross sabotage” of the Sweden-to-Latvia undersea cable.
The Baltic Sea has witnessed multiple incidents of undersea infrastructure damage over the past 18 months. A significant turning point came in December 2023, when an undersea power cable between Finland and Estonia was severed. Finnish authorities seized an oil tanker suspected of cutting the cable with its anchor, prompting regional governments to bolster maritime security measures.
In response, NATO launched Operation Baltic Sentry, deploying naval vessels and aircraft to monitor the region. While suspicions of Russian involvement in these acts of sabotage have been widespread, no definitive evidence linking the Kremlin to the incidents has been made public. Moscow has consistently denied any role in such activities.
Finnish and Estonian officials have suggested that the tanker seized in December may belong to Russia’s “shadow fleet,” a network of vessels allegedly used to circumvent Western-imposed price caps on Russian oil amid the ongoing conflict in Ukraine. These ships have increasingly come under scrutiny for their potential role in hybrid warfare tactics targeting NATO allies.
However, officials caution that investigations into these incidents are ongoing, and conclusive evidence of intentional sabotage may remain elusive. The situation underscores the vulnerability of undersea infrastructure and the geopolitical tensions fueling concerns over maritime security in the Baltic region.