STOCKHOLM, Dec 20 (Alliance News): Swedish police boarded the Chinese vessel, Yi Peng 3, on Thursday as part of an investigation into breaches of two Baltic Sea undersea fiber-optic cables in November.
The ship, currently anchored in the Kattegat strait between Denmark and Sweden, has been stationary for a month while Swedish and Chinese officials negotiated over the investigation.
The Yi Peng 3 is under suspicion after it was traced to the area and time of the cable breaks, which occurred between November 17 and 18.
Swedish authorities are leading the investigation, suspecting sabotage. Despite this, the Swedish police clarified that their involvement aboard the vessel was as observers during the Chinese authorities’ investigation.
The breaches occurred in Sweden’s exclusive economic zone, damaging cables linking Finland, Germany, and Sweden, prompting suspicions of deliberate sabotage.
Western intelligence officials have linked the ship to the breaches, though opinions vary on whether the incident was accidental or deliberate.
Swedish authorities have called for the ship’s return to Sweden to assist with further investigations.
