Swedish prosecutors launch preliminary probe after Baltic Sea data cable damaged

Sunday's rupture follows a string of incidents that have heightened fears of Russian sabotage and spying in the strategic region.

Transcript

00:00Swedish prosecutors have opened a preliminary investigation into suspected sabotage after

00:07a data cable was ruptured in the Baltic Sea on Sunday.

00:11Prosecutors have also ordered the detention of the vessel suspected of damaging the fiber-optic

00:16cable connecting Latvia and the Swedish island of Gotland.

00:20The Swedish Coast Guard said they were positioned near the vessel, which local media identified

00:24as the Malta-flagged Vezion.

00:27According to data from Vezelfinder, it left a port in Russia several days ago and was

00:31navigating between Gotland and Latvia at the time the damage is believed to have occurred.

00:37Latvia's state radio and television center said it recorded disruptions in data transmission

00:42on the cable and concluded there was a rupture.

00:57Sunday's damage follows a string of incidents that have heightened fears of Russian sabotage

01:17and spying in the strategic region.

01:20Earlier this month, NATO launched a mission dubbed Baltic Sentry to provide enhanced surveillance

01:25and deterrence in the Baltic Sea.