China Allows Swedish Authorities To Board Chinese Bulker Suspected Of Severing Baltic Subsea Cables

Swedish police have finally got permission from the Chinese government to board the Chinese bulker Yi Peng 3, which is being suspected of deliberately dragging into anchor to damage two subsea cables in the Baltic in November.

The Swedish authorities are not allowed to question the ship’s crew independently and they will be present only as observers in an investigation and boarding led by China.

The bulker was anchored in Kattegat since November 18, outside Danish territorial seas and since it is in international waters, Danish authorities cannot board the ship until they possess solid evidence regarding a Danish EEZ violation such as illegal fishing.

However, the cable breaks were reported in the Swedish Exclusive Economic Zone, away from Danish waters and so the ship is being guarded by Danish and German law enforcement vessels.

Though all three authorities, German, Swedish and Danish want to question the crew, they are following a strict legal route. They have not opted for an opposed boarding but have asked for permission from the ship’s flag state which is China.

Chinese authorities after discussions declined to cooperate until this week when they allowed for a Chinese-led boarding where the Swedish authorities could be present just as mere observers even though the alleged offence happened in the Swedish Exclusive Economic Zone.

According to investigators, the ship might have severed the subsea cables in the Baltic on November 17th and 18th for Russian Intelligence Services.

Recently, an investigation by Danish news station TV2 revealed strong evidence that Yi Peng 3 decided to damage three other cables while on her inbound voyage, off the Laeso Island in Kattegat.

TV2 decided to conduct an ROV inspection of the route covered by the ship and the sonar and video survey revealed an anchor-shaped drag track on the bottom at the place where the ship slowed, just over the 3 subsea cables.

References: SRN News, Edition CNN