Tallinn, Dec 27 || The Estonian government convened an emergency meeting after the Estlink-2 power cable connecting Estonia and Finland along the floor of the Gulf of Finland was damaged the previous day.
At a press conference following the meeting on Thursday, Estonian officials agreed with the Finnish authorities' suspicion that the Cook Islands-flagged tanker Eagle S "intentionally" struck the offshore cable, news agency reported.
Estonian Interior Minister Lauri Laanemets said Finnish authorities have brought the Eagle S to port for further examination. Supporting the Finns' investigation, he said, "The ship's crew must be prepared to stay in the country's waters for as long as the situation requires."
Estonian Prime Minister Kristen Michal called for the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) to increase its maritime presence in the region as a "deterrent fleet," adding that Finland's investigation would reveal more details.
In response to whether Estonia would consider invoking NATO's Article 4, Michal said he intended to discuss the matter with NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg after the press conference.
Article 4 stipulates that member states will consult whenever a member believes its territorial integrity, political independence, or security is under threat.