Prosecutors request 2.5 years in prison for Fitburg's captain and deck chief accused of damaging underwater cables in Finland.
A critical hearing has begun in the Fitburg case regarding the damage to underwater communication cables in the Gulf of Finland. The prosecution has requested at least 2.5 years of imprisonment for the ship's Russian captain, Andrei Maksimenko, and the Azerbaijani deck chief, who are being tried for damaging underwater communication cables in Finland. While the defendants deny the allegations, the defense is also questioning the jurisdiction of Finnish courts over the case.
The prosecution is seeking at least 2.5 years of imprisonment for the two crew members. The defendants are facing charges of aggravated sabotage and aggravated interference with communication. Both individuals deny the charges.
The incident occurred on December 31, 2025. The 132-meter-long, 9,800 dwt capacity general cargo ship Fitburg, sailing from Russia to Israel, dragged its anchor along the seabed.
According to Finnish investigators, the ship dragged its detached anchor along the seabed for at least 130 kilometers. During this time, it is alleged that two underwater telecommunications cables between Finland and Estonia were damaged, and there were also attempts to damage other underwater connections.
Following the incident, Finnish authorities detained the Fitburg and took the vessel to Kantvik Port.
In the hearing, Captain Maksimenko, who denied the charges, stated that he ordered additional safety lines to be used for the ship's anchors before departing from St. Petersburg.
The deck chief argued that he did not have the authority to lower the anchor on his own.
The defendants' lawyers also claimed that there was heavy icing on the deck of the ship during the incident and that the anchor equipment was covered in mud, making it difficult to inspect the equipment.
However, the prosecution argues that no mechanical failure was detected in the anchor system during the investigation.
One of the most significant legal discussions in the case is Finland's jurisdiction. The defense argues that since part of the cables is located outside Finland's territorial waters, the case should not be heard in Finnish courts. This objection also brings up the previously opened Eagle case related to a similar incident.
However, the Finnish Supreme Court made an important assessment in August that paved the way for the Fitburg case. The court provided justifications stating that the incident could not be considered merely a 'maritime accident,' allowing the trial in Finland to continue.
At the time of the incident, Fitburg was operating under the flag of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines. The ship was operated by a Turkish company based in Istanbul.
Following the incident, Finnish authorities detained the vessel for about two weeks. On January 12, 2026, the seizure order on the ship was lifted, and Fitburg was released from Finnish territorial waters. Some crew members were prohibited from leaving Finland as part of the investigation.
Subsequently, the ship's name was changed to Finex, and it was reported to continue its operations under the same company.
The Fitburg case is part of the increasing security discussions in Europe due to recent underwater cable damages in the Baltic Sea.
In recent times, numerous incidents have occurred in Finland and surrounding countries where underwater energy and communication cables have been damaged due to ships dragging their anchors. The Fitburg case stands out as the second significant case in which Finland is conducting a criminal investigation against ship personnel in such incidents.
The hearings at the Helsinki District Court are expected to last approximately eight days. The decision is anticipated to be made after all hearings are completed.
Source: SeaNews Türkiye
