Fourth leak found on Nord stream pipelines: Swedish Coast Guard

Sweden's coast guard found a fourth leak on the Nord Stream pipelines. Both the pipelines were not in use at the time of the leaks.
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The logo of Nord Stream AG is seen at an office building in the town of Vyborg in Russia.

Photo : REUTERS
KEY HIGHLIGHTS
  • Sweden's coast guard discovered a fourth gas leak
  • Neither pipeline was in use at the time of the leaks
Sweden’s coast guard discovered another gas leak on the Nord Stream pipeline, making it the fourth leak on the key pipeline, according to a spokesperson.
European Commission head Ursula von der Leyen had vowed to provide the "strongest possible response" in case of deliberate disruption. EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell also said any “deliberate disruption” of energy infrastructure in Europe is “utterly unacceptable and will be met with a robust and united response.”
This comes against the backdrop of a tussle between Moscow and Europe. Many other European leaders had alleged sabotage.
Polish Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki called it “an act of sabotage”, while the Danish premier said sabotage could not be ruled out. The pipeline operator had also said the damage was "unprecedented".
The Swedish Coast Guard also said that the fourth leak was on the Nord Stream 2 pipeline, in close proximity to a bigger hole found on the Nord Stream 1 pipeline.
"Two of these four are in Sweden's exclusive economic zone," coast guard spokesperson Jenny Larsson told Svenska Dagbladet newspaper.
Neither pipeline was in use at the time of the leaks but they were filled with gas.
Flows via the Nord Stream 1 pipeline that runs from the Baltic Sea to Germany were halted on Aug. 31 for what was supposed to be three days of maintenance.
The Nord Stream 1 pipeline stretches 745 miles under the Baltic Sea from the Russian coast to north-eastern Germany. Its twin pipeline, Nord Stream 2, halted supplying gas to Europe after Russia responded to punitive measures imposed by Western Nations in response to its invasion of Ukraine in February.
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