Cargo Vessel Fitburg has been moved to a Safe Place

The police, together with other authorities, have moved the cargo vessel to a safe place for further inquiries. They are also in the process of establishing information related to the vessel. 

In the field operation led by the Helsinki Police Department, helicopters from the Border Guard and the Finnish Defence Forces were deployed. The police rapid response unit Karhu and the Border Guard's tactical team fast-roped down to the vessel's deck from helicopters. The vessel has been taken into custody in a law enforcement cooperation operation led by the police.

─ This maritime operation once again demonstrated the police and other authorities' excellent readiness to provide a timely response and work seamlessly together within their respective areas of responsibility, says National Police Commisioner Ilkka Koskimäki. 

The vessel in question is the cargo ship Fitburg, sailing under the flag of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, with 14 crew members on board. They are nationals of Russia, Georgia, Kazakhstan, and Azerbaijan. 

─ In addition to launching this strong inter-agency cooperation process, we immediately dispatched a Border Guard helicopter and the patrol vessel Turva to sea and began locating potential suspects who could have caused the damage in the maritime area," says Commander Mikko Simola of the Gulf of Finland Coast Guard.

The Helsinki Police Department is leading the operation and conducting criminal investigation in cooperation with the National Bureau of Investigation.

The police have been in contact with the National Prosecutor's Office, and the Prosecutor General has issued a prosecution order in the case. At this stage, the police are investigating the incident as aggravated criminal damage, attempted aggravated criminal damage, and aggravated interference with telecommunications. 

Intensive international cooperation and information sharing are being conducted with the Estonian authorities, in particular to resolve the case. 

The police are investigating the incident in cooperation with several national and international authorities, and further information will be provided as soon as possible. 

Traficom will Initiate a Port State Control Inspection on the Vessel

The Finnish Transport and Communications Agency Traficom will commence a port state control inspection on the vessel today, 31 December. The inspection will ensure that the vessel meets the requirements of the relevant international conventions. The vessel inspection is a standard procedure for authorities. 

─ The inspection will be conducted in a way that does not disrupt the police operation or investigation, says Sanna Sonninen, Director of Maritime Affairs at Traficom.

Customs will carry out an inspection of the Fitburg vessel to check for any goods that may violate sanctions or regulations.  

─ Customs will assess the conditions for the vessel's cargo import and, if necessary, initiate a preliminary investigation based on its findings, says Sami Rakshit, Director General of Customs.

Traficom: Telecommunications Connections from Finland Are Functioning Normally

The severing of submarine cables has not affected the functionality of Finland's communication services.

Finland's telecommunications connections to the world and within the country are secured and supported through multiple means. Internet usage is not dependent on a single cable. If disruptions occur in one connection, internet traffic is automatically rerouted to backup connections.

Various sectors of society have prepared for situations like cable damage, and regular drills are conducted. Connections can be disrupted for various reasons, such as equipment failures or natural phenomena. Preparedness and close cooperation between different sectors of society are long-standing and standard procedures in Finland.

Update 20:50: At the time of publication, the ship had already been moved to a safe location.