China lets Sweden, Finland, Germany and Denmark board ship in Baltic cable breach case

Chinese bulk carrier Yi Peng 3 is wanted in Sweden over a breach of two undersea fibre-optic cables in November

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The Yi Peng 3 has been stationary in waters near Sweden for a month after two Baltic Sea cables were damaged on November 17 and 18. Photo: AP

Published: 8:58pm, 20 Dec 2024

China has allowed representatives from Germany, Sweden, Finland and Denmark to board a Chinese bulk carrier at the centre of an investigation into Baltic Sea cable breaches, according to the Danish foreign minister.

The Yi Peng 3 is wanted in Sweden for questioning over a breach of two undersea fibre-optic cables in November, and has been stationary in waters nearby for a month while diplomats in Stockholm and Beijing discussed the matter.

Investigators quickly zeroed in on the ship, which left the Russian port of Ust-Luga on November 15, and a Reuters analysis of MarineTraffic data showed that the vessel’s coordinates corresponded to the time and place of the breaches.

The Baltic Sea cables, one linking Finland and Germany and the other connecting Sweden to Lithuania, were damaged on November 17 and 18, with German Defence Minister Boris Pistorius saying he assumed it was sabotage.

On Thursday, Danish Foreign Minister Lars Lokke Rasmussen said his country had facilitated a meeting earlier this week between representatives from Germany, Sweden, Finland and China, helping to break a month-long stand-off.

“It is our expectation that once the inspection has been completed by this group of people from the four countries, the ship will be able to sail towards its destination,” Lokke Rasmussen said.

LSEG data showed Yi Peng 3 remained anchored in the same spot in the Kattegat strait between Denmark and Sweden.