Norwegian authorities have released the Russian-crewed cargo ship Silver Dania, which was initially suspected of being involved in damaging a fibre optic cable connecting Latvia and the Swedish island of Gotland. After an extensive investigation, police found no evidence linking the vessel to the incident.
No Evidence of Ship’s Involvement in Cable Damage
On Friday evening, the Tromsø police district announced that after conducting thorough investigative steps, they had found no proof that the Silver Dania was involved in damaging the underwater data transmission cable.
“Tromsø police district has now conducted a number of investigative steps and secured what we see as necessary considering the request from Latvia. The investigation will continue, but we see no reason for the ship to remain in Tromsø any longer,” said Tromsø police attorney Ronny Jorgensen.
The Norwegian Coast Guard stopped the Norwegian-owned, Russian-crewed vessel on Thursday evening, bringing it into Tromsø port for inspection on Friday morning. This action followed a request from Latvian authorities and a Norwegian court ruling.
Initially, authorities suspected that the Silver Dania, which was sailing between the Russian ports of St. Petersburg and Murmansk, had played a role in the severe damage discovered last weekend in the Baltic Sea.
Ship’s Owner Denies Any Wrongdoing
Authorities searched the vessel and interviewed the crew, but did not disclose further details. Meanwhile, Tormod Fossmark, CEO of SilverSea, the Norwegian company that owns Silver Dania, strongly denied any involvement in the cable damage.
“We have no involvement in this whatsoever,” Fossmark told The Associated Press. “We did not have any anchors out or do anything, so that will be confirmed today,” he added, referring to the ongoing investigation.
He further emphasized that the ship’s tracking data showed no irregularities during its journey. Fossmark also stated that the vessel, which was not carrying any cargo, was expected to resume its journey later in the day.
Suspected Sabotage Under Investigation
The fibre optic cable running from Ventspils, Latvia, to Gotland, Sweden, was found damaged on Sunday. Swedish prosecutors have launched a preliminary investigation into suspected sabotage.
Authorities have detained another vessel, the Malta-flagged Vezhen, as part of the probe. The Bulgarian owner of Vezhen admitted that it was possible the ship accidentally caused the cable to break, but dismissed any claims of sabotage or intentional wrongdoing by the crew.
The recent damage to Baltic Sea cables underscores the world’s growing vulnerability to cyber and hybrid warfare tactics. This incident highlights the critical need for robust international cooperation to safeguard our interconnected infrastructure. The investigation into the Baltic Sea cable damage remains ongoing.