Chinese vessel monitored by Danish navy amid investigation into internet cable damages in Kattegat sea

A Chinese vessel has been stationary since last night in the Kattegat sea, located between the Swedish town of Båstad and Grenå in Denmark. Meanwhile, various Danish naval patrol ships and frigates are monitoring its movements. Recent investigations reveal that this Chinese ship was present near sites where internet cables were severely damaged earlier this week. New movement data indicates that Swedish naval specialized vessels, dispatched to examine the seabed around the incident locations, are following the same route as the Chinese ship.

A spokesperson for the Swedish Navy stated that multiple units are currently gathering information for law enforcement, including a comprehensive overview of vessels that were in the Baltic Sea during the critical time frames around the cable incidents. The Swedish Navy’s ship HMS Belos has dedicated several hours to investigating areas the Chinese vessel passed right before one of the cable breaks occurred. Footage from the seabed is under review and will be handed over to the ongoing police investigation led by state prosecutor Henrik Söderman, who declined to comment on the specifics of the inquiry.

There are indications that the Swedish investigation is increasingly focusing on the Chinese ship. In Finland, Defense Minister Antti Häkkänen mentioned that Baltic Sea authorities would not allow a ship suspected of sabotage to depart without a thorough examination. Swedish authorities are also considering options to investigate the vessel, which is under the watch of the Danish navy.