Sweden’s foreign minister said on Monday that China had denied a request for prosecutors to conduct an investigation on a Chinese ship linked to two severed Baltic Sea cables, despite Beijing pledging “cooperation” with regional authorities.
Sections of two telecoms cables were cut on November 17 and 18 in Swedish territorial waters. Suspicions have been directed at the Yi Peng 3, which according to ship tracking sites had sailed over the cables around the time they were cut.
The Yi Peng 3 had been anchored in the international waters of the Kattegat strait between Sweden and Denmark.
Ship tracking site Vesselfinder showed the Yi Peng 3 heading north out of the strait on Saturday.
Beijing on Monday confirmed the ship had left “to ensure the physical and mental well-being of the crew”.
“The shipowner company, after a comprehensive evaluation and consultation with relevant parties, decided to resume operations,” foreign ministry spokeswoman Mao Ning said.
