Finnish Authorities Detain Crew After Undersea Internet Cable Severed

After a sudden internet cable break between Finland and Estonia, authorities have seized the cargo ship Fitburg. With two crew members arrested and sanctioned steel found on board, investigators are now probing if this was an accident or a deliberate act of hybrid warfare.

Early on New Year’s Eve, while most were planning their celebrations, technicians at the Finnish telecom company Elisa were dealing with a nightmare. Just before 5:00 a.m., a massive fault was detected in a deep-sea cable that runs across the Gulf of Finland, linking Helsinki to Estonia.

For your information, these underwater lines are the invisible backbone of our world, carrying everything from your private emails to international bank transfers. While Elisa was able to reroute data so we could keep scrolling and texting, the cause of the break was far more dramatic than a simple technical glitch.

A Tense Standoff at Sea ...