Finnish Authorities Release Detained Vessel Eagle S

On 2nd March, Finnish officials announced the release of the vessel Eagle S, which had been held in detention since December under suspicion of causing damage to the Estlink 2 undersea cable. Three crew members remain restricted from leaving the country.

The vessel was detained soon after the Estlink 2 cable was damaged on 25th December. After being escorted into Finnish waters, a port inspection uncovered 32 deficiencies, prompting the decision to detain the ship.

Following 53 days of detention, Eagle S was released on 28th February. Authorities explained that the investigation ultimately failed to provide sufficient grounds for continued detention, and a subsequent inspection confirmed that the earlier noted deficiencies had been remedied.

Elering and Fingrid—the communications companies that had originally called for the detention to recover damages for the cable—have since retracted their complaint.

Kalle Kilk, chairman of Elering, commented that the cost of keeping the vessel detained was exorbitant, involving a million-dollar deposit along with additional monthly payments running into hundreds of thousands. Kilk noted that the expenses incurred during the legal dispute would soon surpass the vessel’s value, and the company has indicated plans to sue the vessel’s owners, with the legal battle potentially lasting five to six years.

Despite the vessel’s release, eight crew members remain under suspicion, with three of them ordered not to leave the country. Helsinki Police have stated they will continue collaborating with the National Bureau of Investigation, with plans to conclude the investigation by the end of April this year.