China admits Hong Kong-flagged ship destroyed Baltic gas pipeline 'by accident'

China has acknowledged that a Hong Kong-flagged ship, the NewNew Polar Bear, accidentally damaged a crucial gas pipeline in the Baltic Sea last October. The incident, which occurred during a strong storm, severed the Balticconnector pipeline that connects Estonia and Finland, as well as two telecom cables. Following an internal investigation, China communicated its findings to Finnish and Estonian authorities, who are conducting their own criminal inquiries. However, the report from China cannot be used as official evidence in these investigations. Both countries have requested legal assistance from China to gather evidence from the ship and its crew, but responses have been slow. The Finnish National Bureau of Investigation confirmed ongoing cooperation with Chinese authorities, while Estonia's prosecutor emphasized the need for more evidence to determine the nature of the incident. The NewNew Polar Bear was seen in Russian waters after the incident, raising concerns about the security of undersea infrastructure, especially in light of previous attacks on the Nord Stream pipelines. The situation has heightened tensions between China and the Baltic states, which are wary of China's ties to Russia amid the ongoing conflict in Ukraine.

- China admits a Hong Kong-flagged ship accidentally damaged a Baltic gas pipeline.

- The incident is under investigation by Finnish and Estonian authorities.

- The ship's anchor dragged along the seabed, causing significant damage.

- Legal assistance requests to China for evidence have not been promptly addressed.

- The incident raises concerns about the security of undersea infrastructure in the region.