CHARGES against a master and two other crew members of now-sanctioned tanker Eagle S(IMO: 9329760) have been dismissed by the Helsinki District Court.
The Cook Islands-flagged vessel was thought to be behind damage to the Estlink2 cable on December 25, 2024.
Finnish prosecutors said the vessel dragged its anchor for around 90 km, cutting five cables. The National Prosecution Authority charged the master and first and second officers with aggravated criminal mischief and aggravated interference with communications in August 2025.
But the court found that “the act did not result in the kinds of consequences to Finland’s energy supply or telecommunications that are required to satisfy the statutory definition of criminal mischief or aggravated criminal mischief”.
The incident took place in international waters but in Finland’s exclusive economic zone, the court said in its judgment. According to the charges levelled against the three seafarers, Finnish law could be applied to the incident because its consequences were felt in Finland.
There was no allegation the three crew members intentionally damaged the cable, but prosecutors claimed they were aware of the poor state of repair of the anchor’s windlass and had neglected their duties and were thus guilty of lawbreaking on this basis.
The court, however, said any issues of negligence on board were a matter for the vessels’ flag state or the seafarers’ native states, and didn’t fall within Finland’s jurisdiction.
Notably, the court said its decision was not final.
