Norwegian authorities cleared the Russian-crewed Silver Dania of involvement in the Baltic Sea cable damage between Latvia and Sweden’s Gotland. Investigators found no evidence, but the probe continues. Another vessel, the Malta-flagged Vezhen, remains under scrutiny.
No Evidence Links Vessel to Fibre-Optic Cable Incident
Norwegian authorities have released the Russian-crewed ship Silver Dania, which was initially suspected of damaging a fibre-optic cable connecting Latvia and Sweden’s Gotland island.
Norwegian police confirmed on Friday that investigators found no evidence linking the ship to the incident. Tromsø police attorney Ronny Jørgensen stated, “The investigation will continue, but we see no reason to keep the vessel in Tromsø any longer.”
Ship Detained and Inspected at Norway’s Request
Norwegian coast guard forces stopped the Silver Dania on Thursday evening and escorted it to Tromsø’s port for inspection. The action followed a request from Latvian authorities and a ruling by a Norwegian court.
At the time of its detention, the ship was traveling between Russian ports St. Petersburg and Murmansk. Authorities suspected it of being involved in the severe cable damage discovered last weekend in the Baltic Sea.
However, Norwegian police did not disclose specific findings from their ship search or crew interviews.
Ship Owner Denies Any Connection to the Damage
Tormod Fossmark, CEO of SilverSea, the company that owns Silver Dania, denied the vessel played any role in the cable damage. “We had no involvement in this whatsoever,” he told The Associated Press.
He emphasized that tracking data showed no irregularities in the ship’s journey. Fossmark also stated that the vessel had no anchors down while passing through the area. He expressed hope that the ship, which was not carrying cargo, would resume sailing later that day.
Ongoing Investigations Into Suspected Sabotage
The damaged fibre-optic cable, which runs from Ventspils, Latvia, to Gotland, was found severed on Sunday. Swedish prosecutors launched an investigation into possible sabotage and ordered the detention of another ship, the Malta-flagged Vezhen.
The Bulgarian owner of the Vezhen admitted the ship may have accidentally damaged the cable but denied any sabotage or deliberate actions by the crew. Authorities continue to investigate the cause of the incident.