Finland and Estonia say investigations into gas pipeline leak are ongoing

Finland and Estonia remain silent on reports of the role played by a Chinese ship in the damage caused to the Balticconnector gas pipeline in the Baltic Sea last autumn.

Investigations into the case are not yet complete, Finnish Prime Minister Petteri Orpo and his Estonian counterpart Kristen Michal said in Helsinki on Wednesday.

They said no conclusions could be drawn at this time.

Earlier, Hong Kong newspaper South China Morning Post reported that Chinese authorities concluded that a Chinese cargo ship was responsible for the pipeline leak. According to the report, it was an accident that occurred during a strong storm.

The Balticconnector runs between Finland and Estonia, in the eastern part of the Baltic Sea.

Operators noticed a sudden drop in pressure in the gas pipeline on October 8, 2023.

The gas supply was subsequently interrupted and the pipeline has been out of operation since then. The cause of the incident has not yet been clarified.

During the investigation, investigators found an anchor on the seabed and expressed suspicion that it belonged to the freighter NewNew Polar Bear and likely caused the damage.

The container ship sails under the Hong Kong flag and is owned by a Chinese shipping company.