Jan 4, 2026, 11:09 p.mJan 4, 2026, 11:09 p.m
Prime Minister of Latvia: Evika Silina.Image: keystone
A submarine cable in the Baltic Sea has been damaged again – this time off Latvia. “Damage to a fiber optic cable belonging to a private company was discovered in the Baltic Sea near Liepaja,” said Prime Minister Evika Silina on the X platform. According to the Latvian police, the suspected cause of the damage was a ship. The exact circumstances of the incident, which occurred on January 2nd in Latvian territorial waters, are still unclear.
After evaluating information from the Latvian Navy, the ship is said to have first sailed over an inactive cable and then changed its course to the now damaged cable, the police said. After the suspicious ship was identified, an investigation was initiated and the crew members were questioned. To do this, investigators boarded the ship, which is currently in the port of Liepaja. The ship and its crew, who are cooperating with the police, have not yet been arrested, it said. The investigation was ongoing.
Second incident within a week
Liepaja is the third largest city in Latvia and is located directly on the Baltic Sea coast, north of the border with Lithuania. According to the information, the first information about possible damage to the cable has also been received from the neighboring country, but this should not have any impact on Latvian consumers.
The damage to the submarine cable is the second incident in a week in the Baltic Sea. A data cable between Estonia and Finland was damaged on New Year’s Eve. A ship that was found and detained by the Finnish authorities with its anchor chain down is under suspicion. (sda/dpa)