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The Helsinki District Cour court has sentenced the captain and a crew member of the 'Fitburg', now sailing as 'Finex', for deliberately damaging two subsea telecommunications cables in the Gulf of Finland on New Year’s Eve 2025. The Court handed the Russian captain Andrei Maksimenko a 3,5 year prison sentence, while Azerbaijani bosun Vusal Majidov received two years and ten months after both were convicted of aggravated criminal damage. The court ordered the two men, who had been subject to travel bans during proceedings, to be taken into custody immediately. They were also ordered to pay compensation for the damage caused to subsea infrastructure. The 'Fitburg' was intercepted by Finnish authorities on December 31, 2025, while sailing from the Russian port St. Petersburg to Israel carrying steel products. Investigators established that the vessel had dragged its damaged anchor and chain along the seabed for around 130 km, damaging two telecommunications cables belonging to Elisa and Arelion Finland. The anchor also crossed seven other telecommunications and power cables and a gas pipeline, creating a risk of further damage to critical infrastructure. The court found that the anchor had been lowered after the ship departed St. Petersburg but before it left Russian territorial waters. Although prosecutors did not claim that the captain had personally ordered the anchor lowered, the court ruled that both men must have known it was dragging while the vessel continued its voyage. It also found that the bosun had actively contributed to the ship continuing for around two hours after Finnish authorities first contacted the vessel. Both defendants denied wrongdoing and challenged Finland’s jurisdiction, arguing that the damage occurred outside its territorial waters. The court rejected that argument, ruling that Finnish courts could hear the case because the offences were intentional and their consequences were felt in Finland. The defendants were also charged with aggravated interference with telecommunications, but the court dismissed that separate count because it was covered by the aggravated criminal damage conviction. The ruling was not final. The captain’s lawyer has indicated that he intended to appeal, while the bosun was also considering challenging the verdict.

On Nov 4 at 4.20 a.m. UTC, the 'Ayaz Bey' issued a distress signal in Romanian waters, northeast of Shabla. Together with the the tug 'Ramazan Bey' (IMO: 7210824), it was towing the tank m/v 'Mentor' (IMO: 9340374). Hurricane-force winds caused the tow lines to break. The crews carried out a hazardous manoeuvre in darkness to reconnect the lines. Although the connection was successfully restored, the 'Ayaz Bey' subsequently lost control and collided head-on with the tanker's hull. The impact caused significant damage to 'Ayaz Bey', which was at risk of sinking. Following the distress call, two vessels—operated by the Border Police, the Coast Guard, and the Emergency Inspectorate of the Romanian Ministry of Internal Affairs (MIA)—along with the SAR vessel 'ARES' of ARSVOM, were dispatched to the scene. Three injured crew members from the 'Ayaz Bey' were transferred aboard the Dutch-flagged tug 'Odin' and taken to the port of Mangalia, while the remaining four crew members stayed on board the tug, stating that they did not require assistance. It was stabilised in the anchorage area off Mangalia, and an investigation has been initiated. The tanker remained unmanned and adrift off Mangalia. On Sep 23, it had been struck by a Russian drone near Odesa. According to Ukrainian authorities, a fire broke out during the attack, and the 63-year-old Ukrainian captain was killed. The remaining 15 crew members were evacuated. There was no confirmed information regarding a leak of sunflower oil from the tanker, nor of any new damage to its hull resulting from the collision with the 'Ayaz Bey'. It was unclear when the towing operation would be resumed. Bulgarian authorities continued to monitor the situation. Report with photo: https://clubz.bg/181446?fbclid=Iwb21leAVZf3xjbGNrBVl99mV4dG4DYWVtAjExAHBkb2YFc3J0YwZhcHBfaWQMMzUwNjg1NTMxNzI4AAEfPMO1BDtbT-vJh6cRBfvEkffDiyTLwmPUDGSq3Zea_jPRLkZ_DbJwiLW_R8Q_aem_Gj5G-f9T9IjCGXOsxEatBQ

The 'RMS Team', which had caught fire after being attacked by an UAV in the Black Sea on Aug 21, was towed through the Bosphorus on Oct 31. After the attack, the wreck, towed with rescue and support vessels, was first taken to Samsun Port. It was then brought to the entrance of the Istanbul Strait by the tug 'Kazım Bey' (IMO: 1038937) of the PGE Tug Salvage Denizcilik, assisted by two tugs of the General Directorate of Coastal Safety. Ship traffic in the strait was suspended during the passage. The convoy arrived at Tuzla on Nov 1, where the 'RMS Team' was now to be converted into a cattle carrier. Reports with photos: https://en.haberler.com/the-rms-team-which-was-hit-by-a-ukrainian-uav-was-2325836/ https://www.haberdenizde.com/denizde-gundem/hurda-denirken-canli-hayvan-gemisi-olacak/?fbclid=Iwb21leAVZhPpjbGNrBVmEmmV4dG4DYWVtAjExAHBkb2YFc3J0YwZhcHBfaWQMMzUwNjg1NTMxNzI4AAEfLisAv5kYXOIIISD7IBaZROZUOhrxDXWzzG4gy7CzdNRp8ytN0eAdgVJv5Bo_aem_kKl-rQ1oX9COKTc95LWagA

On the early afternoon of Nov 4, 2026, the unmanned tanker 'Mentor' was drifting with a cargo of 11000 tons sunflower oil a few nautical miles off the Bulgarian coast near Krapets. The captain of the 'Ramazan Bey', which had towed the vessel along with the ' Ayaz Bey', informed the vessel traffic control services that a second tug was expected to assist with the towing operation. The Bulgarian Ministry of Transport stated that the 'Ramazan Bey' was maintaining communication with the traffic control services. The tug had been instructed to remain in the vicinity of the tanker. Contact has been established with the owner. The tanker was struck during a Russian attack. On Sep 23, the tanker was struck by a Russian drone near Odesa. According to Ukrainian authorities, a fire broke out during the attack, and the 63-year-old Ukrainian captain was killed. The remaining 15 crew members were evacuated. There was no confirmed information regarding a leak of sunflower oil from the tanker, nor of any new damage to its hull resulting from the collision with the tug ' Ayaz Bey'. It was unclear when the towing operation would be resumed. Bulgarian authorities continued to monitor the situation. Report with photo: https://clubz.bg/181446?fbclid=Iwb21leAVZf3xjbGNrBVl99mV4dG4DYWVtAjExAHBkb2YFc3J0YwZhcHBfaWQMMzUwNjg1NTMxNzI4AAEfPMO1BDtbT-vJh6cRBfvEkffDiyTLwmPUDGSq3Zea_jPRLkZ_DbJwiLW_R8Q_aem_Gj5G-f9T9IjCGXOsxEatBQ

On Nov 4, 2026, at 4.20 a.m. UTC, the tug 'Ayaz Bey' issued a distress signal in Romanian waters, northeast of Shabla. Together with the the tug 'Ramazan Bey' (IMO: 7210824), it was towing the 'Mentor'. Hurricane-force winds caused the tow lines to break. The crews carried out a hazardous manoeuvre in darkness to reconnect the lines. Although the connection was successfully restored, the 'Ayaz Bey' subsequently lost control and collided head-on with the tanker's hull. The impact caused significant damage to 'Ayaz Bey', which was at risk of sinking. Following the distress call, two vessels—operated by the Border Police, the Coast Guard, and the Emergency Inspectorate of the Romanian Ministry of Internal Affairs (MIA)—along with the SAR vessel 'ARES' of ARSVOM, were dispatched to the scene. Three injured crew members from the 'Ayaz Bey' were transferred aboard the Dutch-flagged tug 'Odin' and taken to the port of Mangalia, while the remaining four crew members stayed on board the tug, stating that they did not require assistance. It was stabilised in the anchorage area off Mangalia, and an investigation has been initiated. The tanker remained unmanned and adrift off Mangalia. On Sep 23, it had been struck by a Russian drone near Odesa. According to Ukrainian authorities, a fire broke out during the attack, and the 63-year-old Ukrainian captain was killed. The remaining 15 crew members were evacuated. There was no confirmed information regarding a leak of sunflower oil from the tanker, nor of any new damage to its hull resulting from the collision with the tug 'Ayaz Bey'. It was unclear when the towing operation would be resumed. Bulgarian authorities continued to monitor the situation. Report with photo: https://clubz.bg/181446?fbclid=Iwb21leAVZf3xjbGNrBVl99mV4dG4DYWVtAjExAHBkb2YFc3J0YwZhcHBfaWQMMzUwNjg1NTMxNzI4AAEfPMO1BDtbT-vJh6cRBfvEkffDiyTLwmPUDGSq3Zea_jPRLkZ_DbJwiLW_R8Q_aem_Gj5G-f9T9IjCGXOsxEatBQ