When looking for the reason for the pipeline damage, Finnish investigators are looking at a Chinese ship. NATO sends a warning.
Oslo/Helsinki – Gas pipelines live dangerously in these troubled times. Those responsible for the attack on three of the four Nord Stream lines that run between Russia and Germany are still unknown. And that was around a year after the crime.
The reports of damage to a gas pipeline between Estonia and Finland, which also runs through the Baltic Sea, are much more recent. The Balticconnector, which went into operation in 2019, was closed on October 8th due to a drop in pressure. As a result of the Ukraine war and the stop of natural gas imports from Russia, it was the only pipeline through which Finland could import the raw material.
Gas pipeline damage: Finnish investigators look at Chinese ship
The incident has very serious consequences for the youngest NATO member. The search for the culprits seems all the more urgent. Helsinki targets a Chinese ship. “The movements of the Hong Kong-flagged vessel ‘Newnew Polar Bear’ coincide with the time and location of the damage to the gas pipeline,” the Finnish National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) said on Friday.
In a statement, Chief Investigator Risto Lohi is quoted as saying: “We will work with the Chinese authorities to clarify the role of the ship in question.” The Finnish police are relying on their liaison officer in China to obtain further information on site should. In addition to sabotage, an accident cannot be ruled out.
Gas pipeline damaged in the Baltic Sea: “Extremely heavy object” found in the water
“An extremely heavy object” was found on the bottom near the damage. This is located deep in the clayey seabed, and nothing more precise about its nature has yet been determined. “We are now investigating what kind of object it is and whether it is connected to the damage to the pipeline,” Lohi is quoted as saying.
Police and supporting authorities would continue their investigations at the scene as weather and sea conditions permit. An attempt is being made to lift the said object out of the sea for technical examination. From the NBI perspective, the investigations on the pipeline have been completed and the evidence has been handed over to the forensic experts.
The chief investigator also said that, according to the investigation, the damage was caused by an external mechanical force. According to current knowledge, there is no reason to believe that an explosion was responsible.
Balticconnector gas pipeline damaged: Apparently a Russian ship was also nearby
Like the news agency Reuters reported, Newnew Shipping, owner and operator of the Chinese container ship, declined to comment. Interestingly, ship tracking data shows that a ship flying the Russian flag was also said to have been on site at around the same time.
The pipeline will be repaired according to the Finnish energy company Gasgrid take “at least five months”. This means that the Balticconnector, which is 152 kilometers long, could not be put back into operation until the beginning of April 2024 at the earliest.
NATO reacts to gas pipeline damage: “Decisive response” announced in the event of an act of sabotage
The incident fueled concerns about the security of energy supplies not only in the two countries. In response, NATO wants to increase its patrols in the Baltic Sea. “Additional surveillance and reconnaissance flights with, among other things, maritime patrol aircraft, Awacs aircraft and drones” as well as the deployment of a “fleet of four mine hunters” are planned. The transatlantic military alliance announced this on Thursday.
According to spokesman Dylan White, NATO is “in close contact with our allies Estonia and Finland as well as our partner Sweden” and will “take all necessary measures to ensure the security of allies.” If it is an act of sabotage, a “decisive response” will follow.
Just a few days ago, Sweden reported damage to a submarine cable. In this case too, suspicious ships were apparently spotted. (mg)
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