BERLIN (AP) — Finnish police announced on Tuesday that there’s “no reason to suspect any criminal activity” regarding damage to two data cables that run across the Sweden-Finland border. The damage was determined to be the result of excavation work, not foul play.
On Monday, the two internet cables were affected in southern Finland, impacting approximately 6,000 individual customers and 100 businesses. Global Connect, a company specializing in digital infrastructure and data communication in Northern Europe, reported the incidents.
According to Global Connect’s spokesperson, Niklas Ekström, the first cable was damaged in the morning and the second in the afternoon of the same day. Repairs were promptly carried out, with the first cable being fixed overnight, allowing about 95% of customers to regain internet access by the morning. By noon on Tuesday, the second cable was also repaired, restoring service for all customers.
While similar incidents of cable damage occur roughly every few months, Ekström noted that it was unusual for two cables in the same region to be damaged on the same day, highlighting the peculiar nature of this event in a telephone interview from Stockholm.
Finland’s Minister of Transportation and Communications, Lulu Ranne, acknowledged on X that “authorities are investigating the matter together with the company” and emphasized their commitment to addressing the situation seriously.
Despite this investigation, the Finnish police clarified in a statement that they had looked into both incidents and found no indications of criminal wrongdoing, reiterating that the damages resulted from excavation activities. As a result, they will not pursue a criminal investigation.
This incident follows another significant occurrence last month when two data cables located on the bed of the Baltic Sea were ruptured. These cables linked Finland to Germany and Lithuania to Sweden and were reported to be damaged within Swedish waters. Following that event, authorities from Finland, Sweden, and Germany initiated investigations.
At that time, Germany’s defense minister suggested that the damage might have been caused by sabotage, although no substantial proof has emerged to support this claim. Subsequently, last week, Sweden formally requested China’s assistance in clarifying the circumstances surrounding the severed Baltic Sea cables, particularly after a Chinese-flagged vessel was reported to be in the vicinity.
