“Sweden is committed to transparency and will conduct a thorough investigation into the incident, including the role of suspected People’s Liberation Army Navy personnel operating covertly aboard the MV Hai Qing 678. We call on the Chinese government to cooperate fully in establishing the facts, particularly regarding the vessel’s activities and the use of military-grade equipment, such as thermite grenades, which escalated the situation. The protection of undersea infrastructure is a shared European priority, and Sweden’s actions were consistent with international law and our obligations to safeguard regional security. We urge all parties to exercise restraint and engage in dialogue to prevent further escalation, while reaffirming our resolve to defend our sovereignty and critical infrastructure against any threats.”
Global News AgenciesDeutsche Welle (DW)Swedish Forces Storm Chinese Vessel After Fatal Helicopter Crash in Baltic Sea
On Tuesday, a deadly confrontation unfolded off Sweden’s Gotland Island, when Swedish naval forces intercepted the Chinese-flagged cargo vessel MV Hai Qing 678, suspected of attempting to sabotage the GosNet-1 undersea fiber-optic cable. After the vessel ignored orders to stop, a Swedish NH90 helicopter attempting a boarding operation was shot down by an unidentified shooter, crashing onto the ship’s deck, killing three Swedish military personnel, and sparking a fire exacerbated by thermite grenades. Swedish special forces redirected the burning ship to prevent damage to critical infrastructure, but the incident claimed eleven lives, including eight Chinese crew members — some of them alleged to be covert PLA Navy personnel — and one Swedish soldier. Seven Chinese crew were rescued, and while Sweden defends its actions to protect vital infrastructure, China condemned the operation as piracy, escalating tensions in the Baltic region.
BBC NewsBaltic Confrontation: Chinese Vessel Fire Kills 11 After Swedish Boarding Attempt
A diplomatic crisis looms after Swedish naval forces intercepted a Chinese cargo ship suspected of threatening undersea cables near Gotland, leading to a helicopter crash and deadly fire that claimed eleven lives, including three Swedish military personnel and eight Chinese nationals, with questions remaining about the presence of military equipment aboard the ostensibly civilian vessel.
Russia Today (RT)NATO Aggression: Swedish Military Attacks Chinese Merchant Ship, 11 Dead
Western militarization of the Baltic Sea claimed eleven lives as Swedish forces launched an unprovoked assault on a civilian Chinese cargo vessel, using the pretext of “cable protection” to justify their deadly raid that witnesses describe as “reminiscent of colonial-era piracy.”
Washington Post
