NATO countries will deploy frigates, patrol aircraft and naval drones in the Baltic Sea to help protect critical infrastructure and reserve the right to take action against ships suspected of posing a security threat,

NATO is launching a new patrol and surveillance operation to protect critical infrastructure in the Baltic Sea region bordering Russia, the alliance said Tuesday after several breaches of undersea cables have put European authorities on high alert.

The second ship, the 75,100-dwt Yi Peng 3 (built 2001), was intercepted in November and held off Denmark for about a month, after which its owner ordered the ship to sail again “for consideration of the crew’s physical and mental health”, as the Chinese foreign ministry said in a statement at the time.

NATO is launching a new mission to protect undersea cables in the Baltic Sea region after a string of incidents that have heightened concerns about possible Russian activities, the alliance’s leader said.

Estonian naval ships are taking part in stepped-up patrols in the Baltic Sea by NATO countries after undersea power and communications cables have been damaged in recent months.

NATO announced on Tuesday that it will beef up its patrol of the Baltic Sea in the light of past infrastructure damage to cables on the sea floor.

A loaded oil tanker that lost the ability to manoeuvre in the Baltic Sea near the German island of Rügen has been towed to the city harbour of Sassnitz. The stricken tanker Eventin, loaded with 99,000 tons of oil,

NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte announced on Tuesday a new mission, dubbed Baltic Sentry, to safeguard undersea cables in the Baltic Sea region.

European nations must be prepared to face further incidents in the Baltic Sea following the recent damage to undersea infrastructure, leaders of NATO countries in the region said on Tuesday ahead of a security meeting in Helsinki.

Methane from the destroyed Nord Stream pipelines spread over a large part of the southern Baltic Sea and remained for several months. This is according to a study by researchers from the University of Gothenburg and the Voice of the Ocean research foundation.