The Mysterious Case of the Eagle S: Finnish Police Investigate Suspected Anchor Damage in the Baltic Sea
Finnish police have launched an investigation after discovering tracks that stretch for dozens of kilometres along the bottom of the Baltic Sea. The tracks are believed to be the result of a tanker, the Cook Islands-registered Eagle S, dragging its anchor and causing damage to a power line and four telecoms cables.
The Eagle S was boarded by Finnish police and coast guard officials after the suspected incident. The tanker, which is carrying Russian oil, sailed into Finnish waters where the crew is currently being questioned.
This incident comes at a time of heightened tension in the Baltic Sea region following a series of outages of power cables, telecom links, and gas pipelines since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022. NATO has announced plans to increase its presence in the area in response.
The damage caused by the Eagle S resulted in a break in the 658 megawatt Estlink 2 power cable between Finland and Estonia. Grid operators have stated that the cable may not be back in service until August, leaving only the 358 MW Estlink 1 operational.
Finnish police suspect that the Eagle S caused the damage by dragging its anchor along the seabed. Investigators have identified a “dragging track” that spans dozens of kilometres, but the missing anchor has yet to be found.
Photos taken of the Eagle S show that the vessel is missing its port side anchor. Finland’s customs service believes that the ship is part of a “shadow fleet” of ageing tankers used to circumvent sanctions on Russian oil exports.
Despite the incident, the Kremlin has downplayed the significance of Finland’s seizure of the ship. Russia has denied any involvement in previous infrastructure damage incidents in the Baltic Sea.
As the investigation continues, Finnish authorities are working to determine the extent of the damage caused by the Eagle S and the potential implications for the region.
(Source: Reuters – Reporting by Terje Solsvik; editing by Jason Neely)