By Malte Humpert (gCaptain) –
The investigation surrounding Chinese bulker carrier Yi Peng 3 suspected of damaging two submarine cables in the Baltic Sea continues to expand.
German and Swedish Coast Guard vessels have joined Danish Navy patrols in the Danish Straits in the vicinity of Yi Peng 3. This brings the total number of coast guard and naval vessels currently shadowing the Chinese vessel to three.
Officials would not confirm if the vessel had been formally detained. The vessel has remained at anchor since Wednesday, November 19, shortly after a Danish pilot went on board around 07:53 UTC.
The German Coast Guard dispatched patrol ship Bad Düben from Wilhelmshaven in the North Sea on Thursday, November 21. It arrived near Yi Peng 3 early on Saturday, November 23. It continues to circle in very close proximity to Yi Peng 3.
Similarly, Swedish Coast Guard patrol ship Poseidon (KBV 001) departed on November 22 from Göteborg and joined the German and Danish vessels the following day. Poseidon plans to follow the Chinese vessel when it departs, according to Swedish authorities.
Swedish Coast Guard spokesperson Linnea Kappel confirmed that Poseidon remains on station near Yi Peng 3 conducting a preliminary investigation. “We can confirm that we are on site with one of our largest vessels. We will follow the Chinese ship, that is all I can say.”
Meanwhile the Danish Navy remains on site with HDMS Hvidbjørnen, a Thetis-class patrol vessel. Danish patrol vessel HDMS Rota (P525), which initially shadowed the vessel and the larger HDMS Søløven (Y311) have since returned to port.
Authorities in Germany, Sweden, and Finland have launched investigations into the suspected sabotage. Germany’s Minister of the Interior, Nancy Falser, confirmed that officials are pursuing all avenues in the investigation.
Prior to narrowing down the focus onto Yi Peng 3, authorities in Northern Germany searched Turkish bulk carrier Fortune Express on Tuesday, November 19, as it was passing through the Kiel Canal connecting the North and Baltic Seas. The vessel had also passed over the location of the cables at the time of the incident and transmitted irregular AIS signals. After a 2.5 hour search the vessel was allowed to continue its journey.
Several naval vessels have also reached the cable incident site further east in the Baltic Sea. German patrol ship Bamberg joined Swedish HSwMS Belos (A214) at the site of the C-Lion1 cable damage. As a submarine rescue ship Belos is equipped with remotely operated underwater vehicle suitable for investigating the damaged cable.
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