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Denmark recovers object near sabotaged Nord Stream pipeline

AFP
AFP - [email protected]
Denmark recovers object near sabotaged Nord Stream pipeline
An empty maritime smoke buoy found close to the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline in the Baltic Sea, March 29th 2023. Photo: Danish Ministry Of Defence/Reuters/Ritzau Scanpix

Denmark has recovered a cylindrical object spotted near the sabotaged Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline, the Danish Energy Agency announced Wednesday, adding it was a "smoke buoy".

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The energy agency said in a statement that the object had been recovered at a depth of 73 metres and that a "representative of the owner, Nord
Stream 2 AG, was present during the salvage."

According to the agency, the recovery was completed on March 28th.

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"Investigations indicate that the object is an empty maritime smoke buoy, which is used for visual marking," it said in a statement, adding that "the
object does not pose a safety risk."

Russian President Vladimir Putin has claimed experts believe that it could be a signal antenna to activate an explosive in that part of the pipeline.

Nearly six months after the explosions that hit the Nord Stream 1 and 2 pipelines, it is still a mystery who was responsible for the underwater
sabotage, despite criminal investigations in the countries bordering the damaged part of the pipeline -- Germany, Sweden and Denmark.

Russian energy giant Gazprom holds a majority stake in the twin pipelines, with the rest owned by German, Dutch and French companies.

German prosecutors said earlier this month that, in January, investigators searched a ship suspected of having transported explosives used in the blasts.

Confirmation of the searches came after the New York Times reported that US officials had seen new intelligence indicating that a "pro-Ukrainian group"
was responsible for the sabotage.

The Ukrainian government denied involvement in the action, while the Kremlin rejected the Times report as a "diversion".

READ ALSO: Denmark invites Nord Stream owner to recover mystery object

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