The investigation into the leak on the Balticconnector gas pipeline in the Gulf of Finland is currently focusing on a Chinese ship, the Finnish Central Criminal Police announces.
“A lump” has also been found on the seabed.
The police state that they have found out that the ship Newnew Polar bear – which is Hong Kong-flagged – moved in the places at a time that matches when the damage occurred.
“We will cooperate with Chinese authorities to clarify the possible involvement of the ship and in China there is also the contact person of the Finnish police, who handles the matter on the spot,” says Risto Lohi of the Central Criminal Police, who leads the investigation, in a press release.
On Thursday, the police completed the technical investigation of the damage to the gas line. Now the samples are analyzed.
“A very heavy object”
The police confirm that the damage was caused by an external, mechanical force, and “according to the information we now have, the damage is not suspected to have been caused by an explosion”.
At the same time, the police investigate an object on the seabed.
“A lump found on the seabed in connection with the surveys is recently deposited soil material and inside it there is apparently a very heavy object,” says Lohi.
The leak occurred almost two weeks ago. The important pipeline runs from Finland to Estonia, along the bottom of the Gulf of Finland.