Undersea Cable Between Latvia and Sweden Damaged

riga - An undersea fiber optic cable between Latvia and Sweden was damaged, possibly due to external influence.

Undersea Cable Damage

An undersea fiber optic cable between Latvia and Sweden was damaged on Sunday morning, with suspicions of external influence, according to Latvian public broadcaster LSM. The Latvian navy dispatched a patrol to inspect a ship near the incident site, with bulk carrier Michalis San identified as a "suspect vessel." Latvian Prime Minister Evika Silina called for an emergency meeting with government officials. Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson mentioned indications of damage to at least one data cable and is in close contact with Silina.

The cable connects the Latvian city of Ventspils with the Swedish island of Gotland. NATO increased its presence in the Baltic Sea at the end of December following damage to power and communication cables between Estonia and Finland. Multiple undersea cables in the region have been damaged in recent years, raising concerns of deliberate sabotage by Russia.