Submarine fiber optic cable repair work (update 12.02. at 14.00)
The location of the cable damage is 130km from the LVRTC facilities in Ventspils. The cable damage is 100m underwater.
12.02.2025. 14.00
Repair work on the fiber optic cable is scheduled to resume this weekend. So far, LVRTC, in consultation with various experts, has provided the technical equipment necessary for the repair, which is currently being adapted to the specific ground conditions at the site of the damage.
06.02.2025. 11.20
LVRTC, in consultation with industry experts, including foreign experts, continues to identify the equipment and facilities necessary for the repair of the submarine fiber optic cable, as well as their availability for LVRTC’s needs. As we previously reported, on February 3, during the work that lasted more than 24 hours, the cable was not pulled out, however, an idea of the ground conditions at the site of the damage, as well as the type of damage, has been obtained.
04.02.2025. 19.50
After more than 24 hours of continuous work, the repair ship has been unable to retrieve the submarine optical fiber cable from the seabed. On Tuesday evening, the vessel halted operations and returned to port.
According to engineers, there could be various reasons why the cable has not yet been recovered, including the nature of the damage, complex seabed conditions, and unexpected obstacles in the ground. More detailed conclusions will be available after a thorough analysis currently being conducted by experts. However, LVRTC emphasizes that any of the aforementioned reasons are, at this point, only assumptions. The work to retrieve and repair the cable will continue.
03.02.2025. 9.00
The ship and crew that will carry out the repair of the LVRTC submarine fiber optic cable are already on their way to the cable damage site in the Baltic Sea, which is approximately 40km from Gotland and 130km from Ventspils.
02.02.2025. 17.00
LVRTC engineers are already heading to the ship hired to repair the damage to the LVRTC submarine fiber optic cable tonight. We expect that the ship will go to the damage site on Monday to begin cable repair work.
Another LVRTC engineering team will also head to Gotland tomorrow to provide technical support and perform regular measurements with the LVRTC facilities to which the submarine cable is connected in Gotland.
At the same time, we would like to remind you that the possibility and progress of repair work may be affected by weather conditions at sea. At the moment, they are favorable for the work, but taking into account the specifics of meteorological conditions in the Baltic Sea determined by the time of year, the situation may change and the repair work may have to be postponed, while the ship waits in the nearest port.
01.02.2025 10.00
LVRTC has submitted a request to the responsible Latvian and foreign institutions for permission to start repair work on the damaged cable. The materials needed for the repair have already been loaded onto the ship that will carry out the repair work. The ship and the technical staff will start the repair work as soon as the permits are received and there are suitable weather conditions in the Baltic Sea. We expect that this could happen as early as next week.
31.01.2025. 9.07
The LVRTC has managed to reach an agreement to start repair work with a company that will carry out the repair of the damaged marine fiber optic cable. It will be possible to start the works as soon as the interests of the investigation allow it, as well as taking into account the weather conditions in the Baltic Sea.
The LVRTC has now completed most of the preparatory work that needs to be done before the cable repair work can begin. Measurements of the cable’s operation in both its directions have been carried out, as well as the operation of the equipment located in Gotland has been checked. LVRTC has procured the necessary materials for the cable repair, engineers have checked their quality and compliance, and the materials have also been delivered to the port from where the repair ship will start the work.
29.01.2025. 12.35
We would like to inform you that this morning the materials needed for the repair of the cable have been delivered to the port, where they will be loaded onto the ship that will carry out the repair work. LVRTC engineers have gone to Gotland to measure the cable and check the equipment on the Gotland side.
The cable repair works will be started until the vessel required for the work is available and the weather conditions and the interests of the investigation will allow it.
Currently, the investigation is underway to understand the exact nature of the damage, material losses and other circumstances of the possible crime.
28.01.2025. 16.40
We would like to inform, that the LVRTC engineers, who have been in Sweden since yesterday, have already inspected and evaluated the raw materials necessary for the repair, recognising them as suitable for the repair of the LVRTC underwater optical fibre cable. Already tonight, the transportation of materials to the port will begin, where they will be loaded onto a ship that will carry out the repair work. At the moment, we still cannot say the date when the repair works will start, but we assure you that we are doing everything to make it happen as soon as possible.
28.01.2025 7.03
In connection with the damage to the LVRTC underwater optical fiber cable, the LVRTC data transmission engineering team went to Sweden late on Monday evening to verify the suitability of the materials used in the repair and to make preparations so that the cable can be restored as soon as possible. At the same time, the LVRTC continues negotiations with the company that will carry out the repair works and the exact start of repair works is currently still unknown.