The captain of a Hong Kong-registered cargo ship has pleaded not guilty in Hong Kong court. He faces charges linked to damage to undersea infrastructure in the Baltic Sea.
Reuters reported that Wan Wenguo, 44, captained the container ship NewNew Polar Bear. He is accused of damaging the Balticconnector gas pipeline and telecom cables between Finland and Estonia in October 2023.
The charge sheet alleges Wan acted recklessly and without lawful excuse. He also pleaded not guilty to two safety-related charges under the SOLAS convention.
Finnish investigators have said the vessel dragged an anchor and severed the pipeline. Finnish police later recovered a broken anchor near the pipeline, and said tests linked it to the ship.
The next hearing is scheduled for 5 May. Prosecutors plan to call 18 witnesses, including crew, officials, and maritime experts.
