Overview
- Finnish prosecutors have indicted the Eagle S captain, first officer and second officer on aggravated criminal damage and aggravated obstruction of communications charges.
- Investigators allege the tanker dragged its anchor for roughly 90 km on December 25, 2024, severing the EstLink 2 power cable and four telecommunications lines between Finland and Estonia.
- The three accused have pleaded not guilty, are banned from leaving Finland and face a trial expected to start within two weeks.
- Authorities report that energy and communications services continued uninterrupted through alternative undersea links despite the damage.
- Officials and analysts say the case highlights hybrid-threat risks posed by a shadow fleet of ageing foreign-flagged vessels tied to Russian sanctions evasion.