Boatswain denies role in Gulf of Finland cable damage

The Azerbaijani boatswain of the Fitburg cargo ship has denied involvement in last New Year’s Eve’s cable damage in the Gulf of Finland, Yle reported. The ship’s Russian captain, Andrei Maksimenko, also denies the charges.

The two men were questioned at Helsinki District Court on Monday. The boatswain has not been named because charges have only been brought against him, and he did not want to comment publicly on the proceedings.

The boatswain said he had worked aboard the vessel since November 2017 and was familiar with its deck equipment. He said he began his duties on December 28 and inspected the deck equipment and engine room.

According to the boatswain, the ship’s anchor had been secured in St Petersburg. He said it was dirty and covered in ice and clay.

Before the boatswain’s testimony, a representative of Fingrid, which is responsible for Finland’s national electricity transmission grid, was heard behind closed doors.

The prosecution alleges that the ship damaged two underwater telecommunications cables and attempted to damage eight other underwater connections. It says the vessel dragged its anchor along the seabed for 130 kilometres, creating a serious danger to Finland’s telecommunications, electricity and gas networks.

Prosecutors are seeking at least two and a half years in prison for both the captain and the boatswain on charges of aggravated criminal mischief and aggravated interference with telecommunications. The prosecution’s position is that the cable damage was intentional.

Both men deny the charges and say the vessel did not cause the damage. They also argue that Finland does not have jurisdiction because the damage occurred in Estonia’s economic zone.