The captain of a Hong Kong-flagged cargo vessel has been detained in connection with the October 2023 damage to the Balticconnector pipeline, a key natural gas link between Estonia and Finland.
According to China’s South Morning Post, Captain Wan Wenguo, 43, appeared in Hong Kong’s Eastern Court facing charges of criminal damage and breaches of maritime regulations tied to the NewNew Polar Bear’s operations between October and December 2023.
Prosecutors claim Wenguo was responsible for damaging both the Balticconnector pipeline and a nearby telecommunications cable. The charges include failing to maintain proper anchor equipment and neglecting to submit mandatory daily reports to the ship’s owner.
The incident comes amid rising security tensions in the Baltic Sea, where multiple undersea infrastructure disruptions have been reported since 2022. In response, NATO has stepped up patrols with warships, surveillance aircraft, and underwater drones.
Finnish investigators are continuing their probe, working in coordination with Chinese authorities. The case will resume in court in early July.
Under Hong Kong’s Crimes Ordinance, the city can prosecute offenses committed on Hong Kong-registered ships in international waters, regardless of the suspect’s nationality.