Finland Charges Eagle S Oil Tanker Captain Over Undersea Cables Sabotage

Authorities said the cuts caused at least $70 million in immediate damage, for which the defendants deny being responsible.

Oil tanker Eagle S (L), which travels under the flag of the Cook Islands, next to tugboat Ukko (R) in the Gulf of Finland off Porkkalanniemi, Finland, on Dec. 28, 2024. Jussi Nukari/Lehtikuva/AFP via Getty Images

Finland’s national prosecutor’s office said on Aug. 11 that it had brought charges against the captain and first and second officers of the Cook Islands-registered Eagle S oil tanker over the cutting of undersea cables in the Gulf of Finland in December 2024.

Finnish authorities boarded the Russian-linked crude oil tanker on Dec. 26, 2024, to investigate the suspected sabotage of the Estlink-2 undersea power cable.