New evidence suggests that a Chinese cargo vessel suspected of damaging Baltic Sea telecommunications cables in November may have attempted similar actions earlier that month.
Danish media outlet TV2's analysis of ship tracking data revealed suspicious behavior by the Yi Peng 3 near Denmark's Læsø island on November 7. The vessel, en route from Egypt to Russia, unexpectedly slowed down and stopped directly above power cables for approximately five minutes - a maneuver not repeated anywhere else during its journey.
This finding adds weight to ongoing investigations into the ship's alleged role in severing two major undersea cables on November 17. The damaged infrastructure includes the Arelion cable connecting Sweden and Lithuania, and the C-Lion1 cable linking Finland with Germany. The incident disrupted communications between several European nations.
The Yi Peng 3 currently remains anchored in the Kattegat strait, surrounded by naval vessels from Denmark, Sweden, and Germany. Investigators believe the ship deliberately dragged its anchor across the seabed for about 100 miles, causing extensive cable damage to the cables.
While China has denied involvement in what appears to be deliberate sabotage, Swedish authorities have formally requested Beijing's cooperation in their investigation. Chinese officials have stated they are willing to help "uncover the truth."
The incident has raised concerns about maritime security and potential geopolitical tensions between Russia, NATO members, and China. Swedish, Finnish, and Lithuanian authorities continue their joint investigation into the cable damage.