Denmark fleet monitors Chinese ship in connection to ‘sabotage’ of fiber cables

COPENHAGEN, Denmark

A Danish naval fleet, operating on behalf of Sweden, is closely monitoring the Chinese cargo ship, Yi Peng 3, that is anchored in the Kattegat Sea, the Danish Broadcasting Corporation (DR) reported Wednesday.

The operation involves several Danish authorities and follows the recent failure of two submarine fiber cables in the Baltic Sea, which the ship reportedly passed over before the disruptions occurred, according to DR.

The Danish Armed Forces confirmed the presence of Yi Peng 3 in the area via X but refrained from providing details.

Data from the marine analytics provider, MarineTraffic, indicates that Yi Peng 3 has been stationed for hours while Danish naval vessels remain in close proximity.

Yi Peng 3’s journey through the Baltic Sea, Great Belt and into the southern Kattegat has been under observation since Tuesday, according to DR.

Authorities in Sweden, Denmark and Germany suspect sabotage as the cause of the cable disruptions.

Swedish investigators are treating the incident as sabotage, while Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen said, “If the immediate assessment is that it is sabotage and it comes from outside, then it is, of course, serious. I'm not surprised that this can happen.”

German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius has labeled the incident a "hybrid action" linked to sabotage, underscoring growing concerns about the security of critical infrastructure in the region.