A few days after signs of cable disruptions surfaced in the Red Sea, experts are pointing to a more prosaic explanation than initial fears of targeted sabotage. The consensus now, according to Associated Press is that a ship anchor accidentally swept across vital subsea lines, severing cables and impacting connectivity across Asia and the Middle East.
According to the International Cable Protection Committee (ICPC), roughly 15 undersea cables thread through the narrow Bab el-Mandeb Strait, where shallow seabed waters make them particularly vulnerable to maritime incidents. At the weekend, three major systems — SEA-ME-WE-4, IMEWE, and FALCON GCX — were severed. Kentik’s director of Internet analysis, Doug Madory, added a fourth line, Europe India Gateway, to the list on September 9.
