By James Pomfret
HONG KONG, Jan 20 (Reuters) – A lawyer for the Chinese captain of a Hong Kong-registered ship alleged to have damaged submarine cables in the Baltic Sea said on Tuesday 18 witnesses will be called to testify in the case.
Wan Wenguo, the captain of the container ship ‌NewNew Polar Bear, is alleged to have caused “criminal damage” to an underwater natural gas pipeline and undersea telecommunications cables between Finland and Estonia on October 8, 2023, according to a Hong Kong charge sheet reviewed by Reuters.
The Baltic Sea region has been on high alert for sabotage following a series of cuts to power cables, gas pipelines and telecommunications since Russia began its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in early 2022.
Wan, 43, appeared in court on Tuesday but his lawyer, Jerry Chung, said more time was needed to hand over documents before entering a plea. The case was adjourned until February 11.
Chung told reporters that 10 witnesses will testify for the charge of criminal damage, including crew members, Hong Kong officials, and two experts in maritime matters. The maximum penalty is two years in prison, Chung added.
The charge sheet stated that Wan was “reckless” and “without lawful excuse damaged property belonging to another”.
Finnish authorities allege that NewNew Polar Bear severed the undersea gas pipeline, the Balticconnector, which connects Finland and Estonia under the Baltic Sea, by dragging its anchor along the seabed.
Estonian police suspect that the ship also damaged telecommunications cables connecting Estonia to Finland and Sweden before hitting the pipeline.
Wan’s lawyer did not give any details on what damages could be claimed and from whom, and said he was not aware of any other parties being sued besides Wan.
Wan also faces two charges of failing to ensure that the vessel complies with the safety requirements that apply to Hong Kong-registered vessels worldwide, under the International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea.
Chung said that they involved the disappearance of one anchor on the ship; and Wan’s failure to report daily to his ship’s company. For these two violations, eight more witnesses will be called, Chung added.
Wan did not apply for bail at his first hearing last May after his arrest, and remained in custody.
While the crimes did not take place in Hong Kong waters, the Hong Kong flag of the vessel means that it falls under the city’s maritime regulatory jurisdiction globally. Hong Kong prosecutors cooperated with Finnish and Estonian authorities on the case.
Some European governments have accused Russia of hybrid attacks and sabotage of some critical infrastructure, but Moscow has rejected such claims, saying the West is seeking to undermine Russian interests through information warfare.
(Reporting by James Pomfret; Editing by Anne Marie Roantree, Jacqueline Wong and Kate Mayberry)