Finland and Germany show deep concern over possible sabotage of submarine cable in Baltic Sea

The C-Lion1 submarine cable, also known as Sea Lion, is a critical fiber-optic communication link connecting Finland and Germany. Spanning approximately 1,173 kilometers under the Baltic Sea, it provides a direct, low-latency, and secure internet backbone between the Nordic region and Central Europe.

Key Features:

• Landing Points: The cable has landing stations in Helsinki and Hanko, Finland, and Rostock, Germany.

• Capacity: Equipped with eight fiber pairs, C-Lion1 boasts a design capacity of 120 terabits per second (Tbit/s), with a maximum capacity of 144 Tbit/s.

• Operational Since: The cable became operational in May 2016, enhancing Finland’s direct data connectivity to Central Europe.

Recent Incident:

On November 18, 2024, a fault was detected in the C-Lion1 cable, leading to a complete disruption of services. The damage occurred off the coast of the Swedish island of Öland. Authorities are investigating the cause, with some officials suspecting sabotage.

This incident underscores the importance of securing undersea communication infrastructure, as such cables are vital for international data transmission and economic stability.