Cook Islands registered oil tanker Eagle S anchored near the Kilpilahti port in Porvoo, Finland on the Gulf of Finland on January 16, 2025. The tanker is suspected of the disruption of the Finland-Estonia electrical link Estlink 2 and the tanker is also suspected to be part of the so-called Russian shadow fleet. LEHTIKUVA
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Finnish Customs has announced that no criminal investigation will be launched into the crew of the tanker Eagle S, which was seized last month on suspicion of damaging subsea infrastructure in the Baltic Sea.
The decision follows a preliminary inquiry into whether the vessel’s cargo—unleaded petrol and diesel—violated EU sanctions on Russian-origin products.
Customs confirmed the fuel is subject to sanctions but stated that the tanker entered Finnish territorial waters at the request of Finnish authorities, absolving the crew of intent.
“The ship’s crew did not deliberately bring sanctioned goods into Finnish waters, and therefore no sanctions-related offense was committed,” Customs stated. The finding was reviewed in consultation with the Deputy Prosecutor General.
Although no charges will be filed, the cargo of unleaded petrol and diesel will remain detained by Finnish Customs for the time being. The tanker, owned by the UAE-based company Caravella LLC FZ, is suspected to be part of a shadow fleet used to bypass sanctions on Russian oil.
The Eagle S was seized after it allegedly severed the Estlink 2 power cable connecting Finland and Estonia and damaged four undersea telecom cables on Christmas Day. Nine crew members remain suspects in the ongoing police investigation into possible sabotage.
The incident is part of a growing series of disruptions to critical infrastructure in the Baltic Sea region, which has heightened concerns among NATO members since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022.
NATO has pledged to strengthen its presence in the area, with Baltic nations increasingly wary of threats to energy, communications, and other key infrastructure.
A lawyer for the tanker’s owner has contested Finland’s jurisdiction, arguing that the alleged damage occurred outside Finnish territorial waters. Finnish authorities have not commented on the jurisdictional challenge.
For now, the Eagle S remains in Finnish custody as investigations into the undersea damage continue.
HT
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Source: www.helsinkitimes.fi
