Overview

• The Swedish Accident Investigation Authority concluded there is no conclusive evidence that the Chinese-flagged vessel Yi Peng 3 intentionally damaged two subsea cables in the Baltic Sea in November 2024.
• The cables, critical for telecommunications, connect Finland to Germany and Sweden to Lithuania, and were severed when the ship dragged its anchor for over 180 nautical miles.
• Investigators faced significant constraints, including restricted access to the ship's anchor, crew, and electronic data, which hindered the investigation's progress.
• A separate investigation by the Swedish Prosecution Authority is ongoing, focusing on potential criminal elements of the incident.
• The case highlights regional concerns over infrastructure vulnerabilities, as the Baltic Sea remains a focal point for security tensions following multiple disruptions since 2022.