7 ms·

> it was literally a ship putting down its anchor just before the cable and then dragging it over the cable I don't understand. That's how I'd expect most acci

> it was literally a ship putting down its anchor just before the cable and then dragging it over the cable I don't understand. That's how I'd expect most accidents to happen. Someone decides to anchor too close to an undersea cable, the anchor fails to hold and the drifting ship drags the anchor over the cable damaging it. I'm not saying it wasn't sabotage, but there needs to be something a bit more than that. Source: have dragged anchors - thankfully never near undersea cables

roenxi 2y ago
I can only upvote. How does the anchor come into contact with the cable if not by that exact sequence of steps? The ship isn't sailing through the Gulf with its anchor down, it has to go near the cable, drop anchor then drag. Otherwise the cable and anchor will not interact. This is the only way an accident could happen (almost).
- Loudergood 2y ago
  The problem comes when most of these cables land right at major ports.
- lrasinen 2y ago
  New New Polar Bear (the Nov 2023 case) was definitely sailing down the Gulf with its anchor down. Estonian defense minister stated at the time there are drag tracks in the seabed for "over 185 km". (Source: https://www.hs.fi/maailma/art-2000010015226.html https://www.hs.fi/maailma/art-2000010015226.html)
Maxion 2y ago
The case last year with the gas pipeline, the Chinese / Russian owned left Kaliningrad, and then while sailing, dropped its anchor before the pipeline and cable, and then dragged it over them, and then raised it. It was apparently accidental, yet both the Chinese and Russians didn't want the crew interviewed, the Estonian and the Finnish authorities both shrugged and didn't really care, and the Estonian energy prices were severly impacted for ~9 months. IMO very very likely sabotage, and brushed under the rug in fear of Russian escalation.
- ashoeafoot 2y ago
  [flagged]
  - chikere232 2y ago
    [flagged]
    - jajko 2y ago
      again (we in the eastern part have very fond memories of russian oppression and enslavement of whole eastern block, shooting people on the streets and on the borders for the heinous crime of wanting to escape that communist paradise... thats why baltics, Finland or Poland have rather strong military, while slovakia and hungary have highly corrupt governments that only fear what democracy brings so they lean east for protection)
    - lynx23 2y ago
      [flagged]
      - benterix 2y ago
        [flagged]
        lynx23 2y ago
        [flagged]
        dang 2y ago
        You can't post slurs against populations here. We've banned this account for repeatedly breaking HN's guidelines and ignoring our requests to stop. https://news.ycombinator.com/newsguidelines.html https://news.ycombinator.com/newsguidelines.html
      - chikere232 2y ago
brnt 2y ago
Yeah if I could just anchor these boats right when its windy just over your cables that'd be great. Whoopsy, well would you ever!
stoperaticless 2y ago
Have you draged anchor for 100+km?
Suppafly 2y ago
>I don't understand. That's how I'd expect most accidents to happen. Someone decides to anchor too close to an undersea cable, the anchor fails to hold and the drifting ship drags the anchor over the cable damaging it. In most of these cases, it's Russian ships dropping their anchors in areas where the cables are known to be and then driving around in circles until they snag and break it. It's not even slightly plausible that they'd be doing it accidentally.

roenxi 2y ago

I can only upvote. How does the anchor come into contact with the cable if not by that exact sequence of steps? The ship isn't sailing through the Gulf with its anchor down, it has to go near the cable, drop anchor then drag. Otherwise the cable and anchor will not interact. This is the only way an accident could happen (almost).

Loudergood 2y ago
The problem comes when most of these cables land right at major ports.
lrasinen 2y ago
New New Polar Bear (the Nov 2023 case) was definitely sailing down the Gulf with its anchor down. Estonian defense minister stated at the time there are drag tracks in the seabed for "over 185 km". (Source: https://www.hs.fi/maailma/art-2000010015226.html https://www.hs.fi/maailma/art-2000010015226.html)

Maxion 2y ago

The case last year with the gas pipeline, the Chinese / Russian owned left Kaliningrad, and then while sailing, dropped its anchor before the pipeline and cable, and then dragged it over them, and then raised it. It was apparently accidental, yet both the Chinese and Russians didn't want the crew interviewed, the Estonian and the Finnish authorities both shrugged and didn't really care, and the Estonian energy prices were severly impacted for ~9 months. IMO very very likely sabotage, and brushed under the rug in fear of Russian escalation.

ashoeafoot 2y ago
[flagged]
- chikere232 2y ago
  [flagged]
  - jajko 2y ago
    again (we in the eastern part have very fond memories of russian oppression and enslavement of whole eastern block, shooting people on the streets and on the borders for the heinous crime of wanting to escape that communist paradise... thats why baltics, Finland or Poland have rather strong military, while slovakia and hungary have highly corrupt governments that only fear what democracy brings so they lean east for protection)
  - lynx23 2y ago
    [flagged]
    - benterix 2y ago
      [flagged]
      - lynx23 2y ago
        [flagged]
        dang 2y ago
        You can't post slurs against populations here. We've banned this account for repeatedly breaking HN's guidelines and ignoring our requests to stop. https://news.ycombinator.com/newsguidelines.html https://news.ycombinator.com/newsguidelines.html
    - chikere232 2y ago

brnt 2y ago

Yeah if I could just anchor these boats right when its windy just over your cables that'd be great. Whoopsy, well would you ever!

stoperaticless 2y ago

Have you draged anchor for 100+km?

Suppafly 2y ago

>I don't understand. That's how I'd expect most accidents to happen. Someone decides to anchor too close to an undersea cable, the anchor fails to hold and the drifting ship drags the anchor over the cable damaging it. In most of these cases, it's Russian ships dropping their anchors in areas where the cables are known to be and then driving around in circles until they snag and break it. It's not even slightly plausible that they'd be doing it accidentally.