MADRID, 14 Ago. (EUROPA PRESS) –
Helsinki and Tallinn confirmed on Wednesday that they have asked China for information about a Hong Kong-registered ship that is believed to be responsible for damage to the gas pipeline connecting Estonia to Finland in the Baltic Sea.
“We cannot draw a final conclusion before the investigation is completed,” said Estonian Prime Minister Kristen Michal, alongside his Finnish counterpart Petteri Orpo, in Helsinki, according to radio station YLE.
On 8 October 2023, the operating companies warned of an unexpected drop in pressure in this underwater pipeline, which led to the current investigations to clarify whether it could have been due to some type of intentional action, such as the sabotage of the Nord Stream gas pipelines.
According to the Finnish National Investigation Bureau (KRP), underwater teams deployed in the area discovered a trail on the seabed leading to the pipeline, as well as an anchor a few metres away.
The KRP later reported that the Chinese vessel ‘Newnew Polar Bear’ was in the Balticonnector area on the day of the incident and that it did not respond to calls from Finnish maritime authorities. The pipeline began operating again at the end of April, Estonia said.
