The Swedish Accident Investigation Authority (SHK) has published its final report on the damage to the C-Lion 1 subsea cable in the Baltic Sea on 18 November 2024, concluding that it cannot determine whether the incident was the result of an accident or intentional sabotage.
The investigation focused on the Chinese bulk carrier Yi Peng 3, which was initially identified as having caused the damage.
While investigators from several neighbouring countries, including Sweden, were allowed to board the vessel, the SHK reported that the visit was time-constrained and that access to key evidence—such as surveillance footage and the vessel’s Voyage Data Recorder—was not granted.
Interviews with the crew were conducted in the presence of Chinese officials.
The SHK outlined two possible scenarios: one in which the anchor was deliberately released to damage seabed infrastructure, and another in which it detached due to improper security.
The report noted that certain technical details—such as the absence of damage to key anchor components—make the accidental scenario less likely, but acknowledged that neither hypothesis could be confirmed due to investigative limitations.
Under international maritime law, flag states typically lead investigations in international waters, though exceptions may apply in cases involving suspected criminal activity.
While some analysts have raised concerns about potential state-sponsored sabotage, officials from several European countries have indicated increasing confidence that the recent cable breaks were not the result of coordinated or intentional activity.
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