Business & Economy

Sweden reports fourth leak in Nord Stream gas pipelines

Berlin/Copenhagen, Sep 29 (EFE).- The Swedish Coast Guard has detected a fourth leak in the Nord Stream gas pipeline system linking Russia and Europe amid ongoing investigations into three other alleged acts of sabotage.

The new, smaller leak in the Nord Stream 2 pipeline was detected in Swedish waters, Jenny Larsson, spokeswoman for the Swedish Coast Guard, told the Svenska Dagbladet newspaper on Thursday.

“It is a large spill of about 900 meters in diameter and another smaller one of about 200 meters,” Larsson added.

The discovery was made on Wednesday, but was reported Thursday, following a patrol by Swedish authorities, who have been sweeping the area with ships and planes.

So far, Danish and Swedish authorities have identified two leaks in each gas pipeline — Nord Stream 1 and 2 — after several bursts were reported on Monday.

Both governments and the European Union have blamed the leaks on sabotage, and the incidents are under investigation.

The probe into the leaks is moving slowly because gas continues to seep into the subsea bed of the Baltic Sea meaning safe access to the affected area cannot be granted yet.

More than half of the gas in the damaged infrastructure has left the pipes and the remaining volume is expected to escape by Sunday, according to the Danish Energy Agency.

The Danish police are investigating the incident, and in Sweden, the Prosecutor’s Office has taken on the case which has been classified as serious sabotage.

The Swedish Security Service is also collaborating with investigations.

The Nord Stream 1 gas pipeline has been inoperative for a month. Operations first stopped for “routine maintenance work” and later over an alleged oil leak that Russia says it cannot repair due to Western sanctions imposed due to the war in Ukraine.

Although neither pipeline is operational after Berlin froze the Nord Stream 2 project — which would have doubled the flow of gas from Russia to Germany — over the war in Ukraine, the pipelines are filled with gas and a stable pressure must be maintained. EFE

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