A fiber-optic cable connecting Finland and Sweden suffered damage on the Finnish mainland on Monday, Swedish Radio reported on Tuesday. Finnish police suspect sabotage.
Peter Ekstedt, spokesperson for the Swedish Post and Telecom Authority (PTS), stated that the cable was severed in two locations.
The owner of the fiber-optic cable, Global Connect, announced on its website that a major failure had occurred. As a result of the incident, approximately 6,000 households and 100 business customers in Finland lost internet access on Monday. „Repairs are underway,” the company assured.
The Swedish daily „Aftonbladet” recalls that in November, two telecommunications cables in the Baltic Sea were severed: one connecting Lithuania with Sweden and another linking Finland to Germany.
The newspaper also reports that this time, the damage was discovered on Monday evening. The investigation into potential sabotage is being conducted by, among others, Swedish prosecutors. A Chinese vessel, Yi Peng 3, is suspected of being involved in the cable damage.
According to Sweden’s Minister of Civil Defense, Carl-Oskar Bohlin, the matter is being treated seriously. He emphasized: „The Finnish police, due to the circumstances, suspect sabotage.”
