An undersea fiber optic cable between Latvia and Sweden was damaged on Sunday, likely as a result of external influence, Latvia said, triggering an investigation by local and NATO maritime forces in the Baltic Sea.

In a troubling incident, an important undersea data cable connecting Sweden and Latvia was found damaged in the Baltic Sea. This disruption has raised alarms, prompting Swedish authorities to start a criminal investigation into the matter.

On Sunday morning, an undersea fiber-optic cable belonging to the Latvian State Radio and Television Center (LVRTC) was damaged in the Baltic Sea, the center reported.

There have been a string of incidents in which power cables, telecom links and gas pipelines have been damaged in the wake of Russia's invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.

Prosecutors in Sweden are launching a preliminary investigation into a suspected act of "serious sabotage" after a undersea cable in the Baltic Sea was discovered to have been damaged on Sunday. A ship suspected of carrying out the sabotage has been seized,

Sweden announced on Sunday that it has seized a vessel suspected of carrying out a sabotage of an undersea communication cable running between Sweden and Latvia.

An undersea fibre optic cable between Latvia and Sweden was damaged on Sunday morning, probably as a result of “external influence”, LSM, the Latvian public broadcaster, reported, citing the cable operator.

The Arelion submarine cable, which connects the Swedish island of Gotland to Lithuania, and the C-Lion 1 submarine communications cable that runs between Finland's capital Helsinki and the German city of Rostock were also damaged in mid-November near Sweden's territorial waters.

NATO officials are investigating damage discovered on Sunday to another undersea cable running across the Baltic Sea, this time a telecommunications link between NATO member states Sweden and Latvia.

Latvian navy coordinating with Nato over incident which comes after military alliance boosted its presence in Baltic Sea in December

An undersea fibre optic cable linking Latvia and Sweden was damaged, likely by external forces. Latvia and Sweden are investigating, with NATO involved in ensuring Baltic Sea security following similar incidents.