Chinese ship is focus of investigation into damaged pipeline, Finland says

The Finnish border guard’s patrol vessel near where the pipeline was damaged. Police say they have found a heavy object on the seabed close to the site. Photograph: Finnish Border Guard/Shutterstock

Finnish police have said a Chinese ship whose movement coincided with the time and place of the suspected sabotage of a pipeline between Finland and Estonia that was damaged this month is now the focus of their investigation.

After a leak led to the shutdown of the Balticconnector pipeline on 8 October, Finnish authorities have been investigating the damage they say was caused by “external” activity.