Ship Vezhen cleared of Baltic sabotage, negligence charges loom
The crew of the ship Vezhen did not commit sabotage in the Baltic Sea. According to a report from the Swedish prosecutor's office on Monday, bad weather conditions, equipment deficiencies, and sailing errors caused the cable break between Sweden and Latvia.
Based on these findings, the decision to seize the ship, owned by a Bulgarian operator and sailing under the Maltese flag, was lifted on Monday. Vezhen had been forcibly anchored off Karlskrona on the southeastern coast of Sweden since January 26.
"An investigation into a possible role of the Vezhen ship has clarified that it is not a case of gross sabotage," emphasized prosecutor Mats Ljugqvist in the statement.
Additionally, the prosecutor's office confirmed that the investigation is ongoing and may result in other charges against the crew for negligence.
The Bulgarian operator had previously sought to recover the ship in court in Visby on Gotland.
The fiber optic cable, which was laid on the bottom of the Baltic Sea between the western coast of Latvia and the Swedish island of Gotland, was damaged on January 26. The Latvian and Swedish authorities initiated the investigation. Based on the prosecutor's decision, a special police unit from Sweden seized the ship, and investigators questioned the crew, conducted inspections, and secured evidence.
