Swedish Authorities Board Ship Seized Over Damage to Baltic Sea Cable

Latvia said an undersea cable to Sweden was damaged Jan. 26 in Sweden’s economic zone, likely because of ‘external influence.’

The cargo ship Vezhen is anchored for examination by Swedish authorities outside Karlskrona, Sweden, on Jan. 27, 2025. Johan Nilsson /Reuters

Swedish authorities have boarded a ship sailing under the Maltese flag that was seized in connection with a Baltic Sea cable damage probe.

On Jan. 26, Latvian authorities said that an undersea cable between Latvia and Sweden was damaged earlier in the day in Sweden’s exclusive economic zone, likely as a result of “external influence.”