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Five Gulf of Finland Subsea Cables Down as Finland Opens Criminal Probe Into Suspected Anchor Damage

Recovery of a suspected vessel’s anchor chain has pushed the TallinnHelsinki break into a criminal inquiry.

Overview

  • Estonia reported five submarine cable outages affecting links to Sweden and Finland and a domestic connection to Hiiumaa, citing operator data from recent days.
  • Faults were logged on the CITIC EstoniaSweden cable from December 28, on Telia’s Läänemaa–Hiiumaa link, and on Arelion’s HiiumaaSweden route in two places from December 30.
  • Two cross‑border connections between Estonia and Finland failed this morning, including an Arelion link and Elisa’s TallinnHelsinki cable.
  • Estonia’s ministry said the first three disruptions were likely caused by recent storms, while the two EstoniaFinland breaks remain under investigation.
  • The Finnish Border Guard located a suspected vessel in Finland’s exclusive economic zone, recovered an anchor chain linked to the Elisa cable damage, and police have opened a criminal case, with Estonian prosecutors coordinating on next steps.