Finland Reasserts Jurisdiction Over 90km Anchor Drag
Helsinki Court of Appeals overturns dismissal of shadow-tanker officers in €105m damages case.
The Helsinki Court of Appeals has reopened a high-stakes legal case involving the shadow fleet tanker Eagle S, overturning a 2025 decision that had dismissed charges against three of its officers. The ruling could establish a precedent for prosecuting vessels that damage subsea infrastructure in international waters, with implications for similar cases in the Baltic region.
The incident occurred on December 25, 2024, when Finnish authorities detected a fault in a subsea power cable linking Finland and Estonia. The Eagle S, sailing under the Cook Islands’ flag, was identified as the likely cause after its anchor was found to have been dragged for at least 90 km (56 miles). The damage extended to four telecommunications cables, disrupting critical communications. When contacted by the Finnish Coast Guard, the crew initially claimed their anchors were secure, later attributing the vessel’s reduced speed to engine problems and poor weather conditions.
Jurisdiction dispute resolved in Finland’s favor
The original trial, which began in August 2025, collapsed two months later when the Helsinki District Court ruled that the incident fell outside Finnish jurisdiction, as it had occurred in international waters. The court accepted the defense’s argument that under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), such cases should be handled by the vessel’s flag state or the crew’s home countries. The three officers—a captain and two deck officers from Georgia and India—were released and allowed to return home.
Prosecutors, cable operators, and the tanker’s managers appealed the decision. The cable companies sought €105 million in compensation for repair costs and lost revenue, while the ship’s managers claimed over €680,000 in legal expenses. The Court of Appeals overturned the lower court’s ruling, determining that Finnish authorities gained jurisdiction once the Coast Guard contacted the Eagle S and instructed it to raise its anchor. The court also noted that the consequences of the damage—disrupted cables—were felt in Finland, bringing the case under Finnish law.
Broader implications for Baltic maritime cases
The decision arrives as Finland prepares to try the captain and boatswain of the cargo ship Fitburg, accused of dragging its anchor for 80 km in the Baltic Sea. The Fitburg trial was set to begin on September 8, the same day the Court of Appeals issued its ruling. Defense lawyers had planned to cite the original Eagle S dismissal in their arguments, but the new decision removes that legal avenue.
The Eagle S officers remain outside Finland and are unlikely to return voluntarily, though the civil compensation claims against them have been reinstated. The case may still reach Finland’s Supreme Court if an appeal is granted.
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