Finland Charges Officers Of Eagle S For Cutting Undersea Cables
By Marcus Hand, Seatrade Maritime News
August 11, 2025
Finland’s Deputy Public Prosecutor has brought charges of aggravated criminal mischief and aggravated interference with communications against the Captain, First and Second Officers of the Eagle S.
The Finnish authorities believe the Eagle S is part of the dark or shadow fleet of tankers that is involved in the sanctions busting transport of Russian oil.
In the incident that happened around Christmas time 2024 the Eagle S. departed Russia's Ust-Luga with a cargo of oil products according to the Finnish authorities dragged its anchor on the seabed for 90 km in the Gulf of Finland damaging five undersea cables. The Deputy Public Prosecutor said at least EUR60 million in damage to submarine cables.
“The disruption of electricity transmission and telecommunications cables with very high transmission capacity is also suspected to have caused a serious risk to energy supply and telecommunications in Finland, although services could be secured by using alternative connections,” a statement from the National Prosecution Authority of Finland said.
The Finnish authorities detained the tanker and its seizure was lifted in February. However, the vessel’s three senior officers were barred from leaving Finland.
The vessel’s officers have denied they committed any offences. “They also consider that Finland lacks jurisdiction in the case, as the locations of the cable damages are outside Finnish territorial waters,” the statement from the prosecutor said.
A Finnish state prosecutor, a senior special prosecutor and a district prosecutor have been appointed to prosecute the case. An application of summons for a hearing date has been submitted to the Helsinki High Court, which could also involve resolving whether Finland does have jurisdiction in the case given it happened outside the country’s waters.
Alleged deliberate submarine cable cutting by vessels linked to Russia in the Nordic region has become in a new front in hybrid warfare over the last year.
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