Bulk Carrier Detained in Sweden for Undersea Cable Damage

The bulk carrier Vezhen has been detained by Swedish authorities on suspicion of causing damage to an undersea cable in the Baltic Sea. The incident occurred early on January 26 and is believed to be yet another case of a vessel accidentally dragging its anchor and severing an underwater cable.

The Vezhen, a Maltese-flagged ship, is owned by Navigation Maritime Bulgare, a shipping company based in Bulgaria. Alexander Kalchev, the company's CEO, acknowledged the possibility that the vessel may have damaged the cable but firmly denied any claims of sabotage, asserting that the incident was unintentional.

According to Kalchev, the Vezhen was navigating through the area between Latvia and Gotland, where the cable was damaged, during severe weather conditions. The ship encountered strong winds reaching speeds of up to 25 meters per second.

He suggested that one of the vessel’s anchors might have been accidentally dislodged and dragged along the seabed without the crew's awareness.