Finland probes possible role of Chinese vessel in gas pipeline damage
Finland
A Chinese ship has come into focus in the investigation of the Balticonnector gas pipeline damage.Finland's National Bureau of Investigation has said that China's Newnew Polar Bear container vessel is being looked at for any possible role in damage to the pipeline.
The gas pipeline and a telecomcable connecting Finland and Estonia was damaged on Oct 8. Finnish investigators suspect sabotage. However, they are yet to conclude whether the damage was caused by an accident or it was a deliberate act.
Sweden said on Tuesday this week that a third link that connected Stockholm to Talinn was damaged roughly around the same time as the other two.
"The police have established in the criminal investigation that the movements of the vessel Newnew Polar Bear flying the flag of Hong Kong coincide with the time and place of the gas pipeline damage," NBI said in a statement.
"For this reason, the investigation is now focused on the role of the said vessel," the Finnish investigators added.
Estonian investigators are also looking into the incidents. After statement from Finnish NBI, the Estonian investigators said that they were still looking at two ships, the Newnew Polar Bear and Russia's Sevmorput.
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Reuters has reported that only these two ships were present at all three sites and even roughly at the same time when the damages occurred.
The mysterious 'heavy object'
Finland NBI has stated that "a heavy object" was recovered on the seabed near the damaged part of the pipeline. The NBI said that it was investigating whether this object was linked to the incident.
"The investigation has confirmed that the damage has been caused by an external mechanical force, and based on current knowledge there is no reason to believe the damage has been caused by an explosion," Detective Superintendent Risto Lohi said in the statement.
The NBI said that a "huge clump of soil" deep in the clay on the seabed was considered to contain an extremely heavy object.
"Attempts will be made to lift the object from the sea for technical examination," Lohi said.
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