Norwegian coast guard detains Russian crew over cable damage
The Norwegian coast guard detained a ship on Friday whose crew is suspected of being involved in damaging underwater cables in the Baltic Sea. The vessel, flying the Norwegian flag, was detained in the port of Tromsø. All crew members are Russian.
The Troms region police reported the detention of the Silver Dania ship. The police security service, PST, is involved in the operation. Officers boarded the ship to conduct investigative activities, including securing evidence and conducting searches. Crew members were also questioned.
Norwegian authorities acted at the request of Latvian officials. The government in Riga suspects that the Silver Dania and its crew may be responsible for the damage to the underwater connection between the Swedish island of Gotland and Latvia.
Shipowner's reaction
The shipowner, who regularly operates between Murmansk and St. Petersburg, expressed surprise at the arrest.
- Every day, hundreds of other ships pass by Gotland. When the cable was damaged, we were sailing at a low speed and did not have the anchor out. We did nothing wrong; we did not damage the cable - they stated in an interview with the "VG" newspaper.
