Ship suspected of sabotage is detained by Norwegian Coast Guard

The Police in Tromsø informs that it detained the Silver Dania on a request from Latvian authorities. The ship crew is entirely composed of Russian citizens, Norwegian broadcaster NRK reports.

It was the Coast Guard ship KV Bison that late Thursday night apprehended the 113 metre long reefer.

Ship traffic data show how the suspicious ship sailed straight northwards before, around midnight on 30 January, it made a sharp turn eastwards towards the port of Tromsø. Similar data show how the  KV Bison was waiting in the area before it too set a course for Tromsø at the same time .

According to the police, the Silver Dania is suspected of serious sabotage in the Baltic Sea. 

Tromsø police representatives on Friday morning told journalists that a search was underway on board the vessel and that that crew members were being questioned. There are also ongoing digital investigations in respect of this case, the police said in a brief press conference. 

According to the police, the Silver Dania is one of several ships suspected of involvement in the damage of a fibre-optic cable in the Baltic Sea.

The vessel is owned by Norwegian company Silver Sea and managed by Fjord Shipping. Several of the company's ships are cooperating closely with Russian partners - with one of them - the Silver Copenhagen - involved in landing Russian fish at European ports.

An investigative story published by the Barents Observer shows how the Norwegian reefer is cooperating with Russian fishery company Norebo. When Norebo's reefer Belomorye was denied entry to Dutch ports because of suspected involvement in espionage, the catch was taken over by the Silver Copenhagen and subsequently delivered to a Dutch port.

The Silver Dania was built in 1989 and has previously sailed under the names Trans Dania, TR and TX G6 C