Representatives from Germany, Finland, Denmark, and Sweden boarded a Chinese cargo ship suspected of damaging two undersea fiber optic cables running through the Baltic Sea.
Earlier, Swedish police reported that the investigation is being conducted by Chinese authorities, while European officials are participating in the operation as "observers", adding that the "onboard inspection" is not part of a judicial inquiry.
The cargo ship Yi Peng 3 had been anchored in international waters in the Kattegat Strait, between Sweden and Denmark, for a month while diplomats in the EU and Beijing discussed the possibility of accessing the vessel.
The ship carrying Russian fertilizers, which was traveling from the port of Ust-Luga in the Leningrad region to Port Said, had been under the observation of the Swedish Coast Guard since November 19 while in international waters.
Danish Foreign Minister Lars Løkke Rasmussen stated that the visit was supposed to take place on Wednesday but was canceled due to bad weather.
Two communication cables laid on the seabed of the Baltic Sea were cut on November 17 and 18 in Swedish territorial waters. One of them connected Lithuania and Sweden, while the other linked Finland and Germany.
According to navigation websites, a vessel flying the Chinese flag was spotted in the area at the time of the incident.
Sweden officially requested cooperation from the PRC in the investigation. Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson stated that it is "extremely important to find out what exactly happened".
Later, the Wall Street Journal reported that investigators suspect the Yi Peng 3 intentionally severed the fiber optic cables by dragging its anchor along the seabed.
In a post on platform X, the Norwegian foundation NORSAR, which monitors earthquakes and nuclear explosions, stated that it did not detect any "seismic signals" in the area, indicating that no explosions occurred.
The Yi Peng 3 was anchored between Sweden and Denmark, where it was monitored by several vessels, including those belonging to the Danish Navy.
Authorities in Finland, Sweden, and Germany have launched an investigation into the disabling of the two communication cables.
According to the German Defense Minister, the damage was likely caused by "diversion".
Chinese authorities have stated that they have no information about the vessel but deny any responsibility.