Underwater footage has revealed for the first time the full extent of damage to the Nord Stream 1 pipeline from an explosion in late September. Videos published by the newspaper Expressen on Tuesday showed that at least 50 meters of the gas pipeline had been destroyed or buried under the sea floor. Recordings filmed at a depth of 80 meters on Monday showed, among other things, large cracks and curvatures in the metal.
Trond Larsen, a drone pilot for Norwegian company Blueye Robotics, told Expressen that “only extreme force can bend such thick metal in this way.” There was also a “very large sea floor impact” around the pipeline, added Larsen, who piloted the drone for the recordings.
powerful explosions
Meanwhile, Danish police said their investigations into the Nord Stream 1 and 2 pipelines in the Danish Economic Zone confirmed that the destruction was “caused by powerful explosions”. The police announced that they will form a joint investigation team with the Danish intelligence service PET. However, it is still too early to say whether international cooperation with Sweden and Germany is possible in the investigation.
At the end of September, four leaks were discovered off the Danish island of Bornholm on the Nord Stream 1 and 2 gas pipelines, which extend from Russia to Germany. According to a Danish-Swedish official report, they were caused by violent explosions. The tubes were not working at the time of the explosions, but they contained gas. (apa, reuters, dpa)
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