Updated 23.24 | Published 23.02
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Tanker Eagle S passed Estlink 2.
Then the power went out.
The ship is identified as part of Russia’s notorious shadow fleet.
On Christmas Day, the Finnish network operator Fingrid announced that it had lost contact with the Estlink 2 electricity cable that runs between Finland and Estonia.
Control room chief Arto Pahkin said earlier in the day that sabotage cannot be ruled out and stated that two ships in the area were of interest.
Data from ship-tracking site Marine Traffic shows the Cook Islands-flagged tanker Eagle S passed the cable at 11.26am, at the same time the cable stopped working.
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full screen The ship is stationary in the Gulf of Finland, next to it is the Finnish coast guard ship “Turva”.
Located in the bay
The ship is currently stationary in the Gulf of Finland, next to it is the Finnish coast guard ship “Turva”.
According to British magazine Lloyds List, the Eagle S is part of the Russian shadow fleet that Vladimir Putin has invested $10 billion in developing, according to documents from the European Parliament.
By registering the ships in different shell companies, they have managed to circumvent EU sanctions and have been able to continue transporting Russian oil through sensitive waters.
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“Potential oil disaster”
But many of the vessels are in poor condition and are grounded, prompting experts to warn of a potential oil disaster.
– It’s like driving your car without registration plates and insurance on the highway. Everyone wants the police to stop you. But it’s as if we had an international highway between Helsinki and Turku where the police can’t stop you, Magnus Winberg, lecturer at the maritime school Aboa Mare, has previously told Howl.
Swedish and Danish authorities have been trying to find ways to stop the ships, and last week a new sanctions package was hammered through where 52 ships and 113 people were sanctioned.
– I am very proud of Sweden’s active contribution to important sanctions listings of the Russian shadow fleet. We will continue the work of listing additional ships that are part of the shadow fleet, said Foreign Minister Maria Malmer Stenergard at the time.