Finnish law enforcement authorities have lifted the arrest of the cargo vessel Fitburg, which was previously detained on suspicion of involvement in damage to an underwater telecommunications cable in the Gulf of Finland. The vessel, which was en route from a Russian port to Israel, was stopped on December 31, 2025. One crew member was detained as part of a joint investigation by Finland and Estonia.
According to Risto Lohi, Senior Investigator at the Central Criminal Police of Finland, the inspection of the vessel has been completed, and a decision has been made to lift the arrest based on this. He clarified that Fitburg will leave the country's territorial waters in the near future. At the same time, a number of crew members remain prohibited from leaving the country, as their testimony may be needed during the ongoing investigation.
The underwater cable connecting Helsinki and Tallinn was damaged in late December. The incident raised concerns among the authorities of both countries due to the potential consequences for the region's digital infrastructure. Although the exact cause of the rupture has not yet been established, the initial version considered was deliberate sabotage.
