Denmark follows Sweden in ending probe into ‘deliberate’ Nord Stream pipeline blasts
- It is the second nation to do so after Sweden closed its own inquiry earlier this month, while Germany remains interested in solving the case
- Denmark had previously said the pipelines were hit by powerful explosions, and Sweden confirmed that traces of explosives found conclusively showed sabotage
The multibillion-dollar Nord Stream 1 and 2 pipelines transporting gas under the Baltic Sea were ruptured by a series of blasts in the Swedish and Danish economic zones in September 2022, releasing vast amounts of methane into the air.
“The investigation has led the authorities to conclude that there was deliberate sabotage of the gas pipelines. However, the assessment is that there are not sufficient grounds to pursue a criminal case in Denmark,” a Copenhagen police statement said.
Sweden earlier this month dropped its investigation into the explosions, saying it lacked jurisdiction in the case, but had handed uncovered evidence over to German investigators, who have yet to publish any findings.
The German government is still “very interested” in getting to the bottom of the blasts that ruptured the Nord Stream pipelines, a spokesperson said in Berlin on Monday.
Last year, Germany told the UN Security Council it had found traces of subsea explosives on a sailing yacht that may have been used to transport the explosives, and that trained divers might have attached the explosives to the pipelines.
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‘Powerful explosions’ caused Nord Stream leaks, Danish authorities say
