Huge boiling within the Baltic Sea after the three leaks within the Nord Stream 1 and a pair of fuel pipelines

“The most important effervescent agitates the floor over an excellent kilometer in diameter. The smallest makes a circle of about 200 meters” in diameter, explains the Danish military in a press release about these leaks positioned off the island. Danish from Bornholm.

Suspicions of sabotage

Three as but unexplained fuel leaks have been detected within the Nord Stream 1 and a pair of fuel pipelines linking Russia to Germany through the Baltic Sea, the pipeline operator and Danish authorities introduced on Monday and Tuesday. Sources level to sabotage.

Objects of geopolitical showdown, the 2 fuel pipelines operated by a consortium that is determined by the Russian large Gazprom are usually not operational due to the results of the conflict in Ukraine (learn beneath). However each had been nonetheless filled with fuel.

The primary leak, noticed on Nord Stream 2, was introduced by the Danish Maritime Visitors Authority on Monday and confirmed by the pipeline operator. Based on the authorities, the incidents don’t have any penalties for the protection or well being of residents of the neighboring Danish islands of Bornholm and Christiansø. The environmental influence must be native and restricted, based on preliminary assessments.

Maritime and air visitors interrupted

Noticed about 20 kilometers southeast of the Danish island of Bornholm, simply exterior Danish territorial waters, the leak “is harmful for maritime visitors”, the Danish maritime authority stated in a discover to ships. It took the choice to ban navigation inside a radius of 5 nautical miles (about 9 kilometers, editor’s observe) across the reported place. An overflight ban has additionally been issued for plane over the realm.

Simply earlier than the announcement of this incident on the Danish facet, the German Ministry of Financial system had indicated that it was investigating an unexpected and speedy “strain drop” within the Nord Stream 2 fuel pipeline.

Though its opening was canceled earlier this yr in retaliation for the Russian invasion of Ukraine, the pipeline had been “technically ready” and “crammed with fuel”, a spokesman for the Nord firm stated on Monday. stream 2.

Nord Stream 1 hit lower than 24 hours later

Parallel to Nord Stream 2, the Nord Stream 1 fuel pipeline can also be affected by two unexplained fuel leaks within the Baltic Sea, Danish and Swedish authorities alerted on Tuesday.

“It’s too early to say something concerning the causes of the incidents,” reacted Danish Minister for Local weather and Vitality Dan Jørgensen. Within the course of, he introduced to boost the extent of vigilance of the electrical energy and fuel sector within the nation. “The incidents on the 2 pipelines don’t have any influence on provide to Denmark,” added the Danish minister.

“Fuel pipeline leaks are extraordinarily uncommon,” Danish Vitality Company director Kristoffer Böttzauw stated in a press release to justify the elevated stage of vigilance. He promised “thorough monitoring of Denmark’s crucial infrastructure”. The alert stage was raised to orange, the second highest.

A controversial pipeline

One of many two Nord Stream 1 leaks is positioned within the unique financial zone of Denmark, the opposite in that of Sweden, based on the 2 international locations. As with the leak famous the day earlier than on Nord Stream 2, a navigation and overflight ban was taken.

Nord Stream 1 has been shut down since Russia claimed a collection of technical issues and the impossibility, based on it, attributable to Western sanctions, of repairing the faulty components. Nord Stream 2, which by no means got here into operation, was to strengthen Russian fuel export capacities on to Germany along with the primary fuel pipeline.

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