Finnish seizure of tanker Eagle S
The Cook Islands flagged tanker Eagle S was interdicted and seized by Finnish armed forces in international waters in the Gulf of Finland of the Baltic Sea on December 26, 2024. The interdiction happened hours after the Estlink 2 undersea DC power cable connecting Finland and Estonia was cut. European officials accuse the ship of being part of the Russian "shadow fleet" transporting Russian oil to customers in Asia.
Estlink 2 cable
- New information about the cable fault – the damage point is on the Finnish side - Ilta-Sanomat, December 26, 2024 (in Finnish)
- "Estonia plans to disconnect from the Russian energy system-media reports" - Ria, December 27, 2024 (in Russian)
- "Chief of Estonian energy company Elering: damage of one more cable Estlink1 will not prevent Estonia disconnecting from the Russian energy system in 2025"
- Nine questions and answers about cable damage in the Gulf of Finland - YLE, December 28, 2024 (in Finnish)
"Magic anchor"
- Communications cables between Estonia and Finland disrupted, services online - ERR News, December 26, 2024
- Elisa Eesti AS and CITIC Telecom CPC notified the Consumer Protection and Technical Regulatory Authority (TTJA) on Wednesday (December 25) evening about disruptions in undersea communication cables between Estonia and Finland. On Wednesday evening, the Consumer Protection and Technical Regulatory Authority (TTJA) received information that three undersea communication cables between Estonia and Finland were affected: two cables owned by the Elisa Group were severed and one cable belonging to CITIC Telecom was damaged.
- Oil tanker seized by Finland 'was loaded with Russian and Turkish keyboards'- ERR News, December 28, 2024
- "Four data cables were damaged at around the same time".
- Police on cable damage: anchor trace tens of kilometers long found on seabed - YLE, December 29, 2024 (in Russian)
Tanker Eagle S
- Finland Suspects a Ship From the Russian Shadow Fleet of a New Cable Damage in the Baltic Sea. IStories Found Its Captain - IStories, December 26, 2024 (+ CrewData)
- Maps reveal the path of the Eagle S on Christmas Day - YLE, December 27, 2024
- Ship Captain Suspected of Baltic Sea Cable Damage is Georgian Citizen - Georgian News, December 30, 2024
- Helsingin Sanomat: Captain of Eagle S speaks - Ilta-Sanomat, January 2, 2025 (in Finnish)
Interdiction and seizure
- Finland boards oil tanker suspected of causing internet, power cable outages - Reuters, December 26, 2024
- Estlink cable disruption: Finnish Border Guard detains tanker linked to Russia's 'dark fleet' - YLE, December 26, 2024
- HS: Aseistautuneet suomalaisviranomaiset nousivat Eagle S:lle - Ilta-Sanomat, December 26, 2024
- HS:n tiedot: Aseistautuneet valmiusjoukot lähetettiin keskellä yötä Eagle S -alukselle, kun syyttäjä pohti vielä terrorismia - Helsingin Sanomat, December 26, 2024
- One detail immediately caught the attention of the authorities – this is how the nighttime operation in the Gulf of Finland progressed - Ilta-Sanomat, December 26, 2024 (in Finnish)
- Finland suspects Russian vessel of breaking cables in Baltic - Regnum, December 26, 2024 (in Russian)
- Finland police seize Russian-linked dark fleet tanker Eagle S in cable-cutting investigation - Lloyd’s List Intelligence, December 26, 2024
- Former Border Guard trainer: The authorities' way of seizing a Baltic Sea tanker was unique - YLE, December 27, 2024 (in Finnish)
Confiscation
- Eagle S tanker to be moved to Kilpilahti on Saturday - Finnish Police, December 28, 2024
Investigation
The Finnish National Bureau of Investigation (KRP) is investigating the incident as aggravated vandalism and aggravated interference with telecommunications. Finnish police suspect the ship intentionally dragged its anchor on the seabed in order to damaging the Estlink 2 power cable between Finland and Estonia. This line of investigation assumes that some third country paid the captain and the crew to damage the cables.
- (President) Stubb on cable damage: We know who did it - YLE, December 27, 2024
- New information from the police about the oil tanker investigation: "There's something happening on the ship all the time" - Ilta-Sanomat, December 29, 2024 (in Finnish)
- Eagle S lawyer to Ilta-Sanomat: “These interrogations have no value as evidence” - Ilta-Sanomat, December 29, 2024 (in Finnish)
- NBI: Eight Eagle S crew given travel bans, more could follow - YLE, January 2, 2025
Allegations
- Russia-linked cable-cutting tanker seized by Finland ‘was loaded with spying equipment’ - Lloyd’s List Intelligence, December 27, 2024
- Tanker Eagle S Seized by Finland for Severing Cables Between Finland & Estonia | Is it a Spy Ship? - What is Going on With Shipping?, December 28, 2024 (video)
Finnish reaction
- Prime Minister Orpo: The Russian shadow fleet sailing in the Baltic Sea must be stopped - Ilta-Sanomat, December 26, 2024 (in Finnish)
Russian reaction
- Expert Stepanov suggested escorting tankers after Eagle S incident - TASS, December 27, 2024 (in Russian)
- Kremlin propaganda accuses Finland of “piracy” – harsh proposals for a solution - Ilta-Sanomat, December 29, 2024 (in Finnish)
False-flag speculation
- Tutkiva: Merikaapelin katkeaminen Itämerellä täyttä False Flag -teatteria - Uusi MV-lehti, December 28, 2024
Legality
- The Right of Visit, Search and Seizure of Foreign Flagged Vessels on the High Seas Pursuant to Customary International Law: A Defense of the Proliferation of Security Initiative - Ian Patrick Barry, Hofstra Law Review, 2004
- When can a state seize a vessel? - David Osler, Lloyd’s List Intelligence, July 23, 2019
- On the Legality and Policy Ramifications of High Seas Seizures of Foreign Merchant Vessels for Violating U.S. Sanctions - Brian Zupruk, Lawfare, June 23, 2021
External links
- 2024 Estlink 2 incident on Wikipedia
- Eagle S on Wikipedia
- Eagle S on Finnish language Wikipedia
- Eagle S on Marine Traffic
Subsequent Events
- At Least One Undersea Cable Between Sweden And Latvia Damaged: Swedish PM - Barrons, January 26, 2025.