Swedish authorities have closed the investigation into the Baltic Sea cable damage involving the bulker Vezhen, confirming it was an accident, not sabotage. The case, linked to the communication cable break off Gotland in January, marks the official conclusion of Sweden’s probe.
The authorities confirmed that the Maltese-flagged bulker Vezhen, operated by Navibulgar, was responsible for dragging its anchor across the seabed line running between Sweden and Latvia. However, the investigation found no evidence of a deliberate act. The public prosecutor stated that the cable break was caused “by a combination of severe weather, technical deficiencies, and suspected inadequate seamanship on the vessel in question.”
The failure occurred during a period of heavy seas on January 25. An inspection revealed that the ship’s anchor should have been secured by three independent safety devices. However, two of these devices had been non-functional for some time. The third device – the so-called Bear Lock – broke under the force of a powerful wave, causing the anchor and its entire chain to be unexpectedly released.
Although the ship’s autopilot compensated for the resulting drag and reduction in speed, no alarm was triggered, meaning the bridge officer was not alerted. The vessel unknowingly proceeded with the dragging anchor, which ultimately snagged and damaged the subsea communication cable.
Prosecutors noted that Swedish law does not provide for a charge of negligence in this specific context. The preliminary investigation regarding the Vezhen has since been handed over to Latvian authorities, who continue their own investigation into the incident.
