Sweden seizes ship suspected of damaging data cable in Baltic Sea

Swedish authorities have detained a vessel believed to be responsible for damaging a data cable that runs beneath the Baltic Sea to Latvia. 

Prosecutors indicated that the initial investigation suggests sabotage, and an inquiry has been initiated involving Sweden's police, military, and coast guard, Caliber.Az reports via foreign media. 

Earlier on January 26, Latvia's state broadcaster LVRTC reported that an underwater fiber-optic cable between Latvia and Sweden was damaged due to external impact.

The center's data transmission monitoring system detected disruptions on the Ventspils-Gotland section of the cable. 

"At this point, there are grounds to believe that the cable has been greatly damaged, and that the damage was caused by external factors," said Vineta Sprūgaine, the head of LVRTC's corporate communications department. 

LVRTC has notified the Latvian Navy about the incident. In turn, the Navy has contacted NATO allies, including Sweden, and the information was exchanged.

By Naila Huseynova