Swedish prosecutors have launched an investigation into suspected sabotage after an underwater fiber optic cable connecting Latvia and Sweden was damaged.

A Malta-flagged vessel, Vezhen, anchored near Karlskrona, has been detained as part of the inquiry.

The cable rupture disrupted data transmission but alternative routes maintained operations.

Latvian and Swedish authorities, along with NATO, are collaborating on the investigation amid concerns of potential Russian involvement, the Associated Press has reported.

This incident follows recent fears of sabotage in the Baltic Sea, prompting NATO’s “Baltic Sentry” mission to safeguard undersea infrastructure.

Written by B.C. Begley