The research Arana. LehtikuvaPrint: Antti Aimo-Koivisto
Russian warships prevented on Tuesday morning marine research vessel Aranda to take samples in international waters east of Gotland.
The skipper Satu af Ursin wondering what the Russians are up to the east of Gotland at one of the Baltic deepest hollows.
– It is not the first time we will be driven away from the scene, the same thing happened last fall. They seem to be interested in great depth, but it is our researchers too.
Aranda was on Tuesday morning on the way to a point lying in international waters, but in the Latvian economic zone. Then took a Russian warships contact.
– They said we would not go to the point where we were heading because they had a submarine there. For us it was annoying because we have a route planned that we should follow, and the great depth is a place where scientists regularly takes samples.
What is special about the depth?
– Our researchers wish well to check what kind of life it is down to the depths. I do not know exactly what they are investigating, but at this point it is 248 meters deep. What the Russians have special interest in practicing in deep I do not know.
You did what people asked?
– Well, no, we wanted to make a fuss. They warned us, saying that we need to keep us at a distance “for your own safety”, what they now meant by that. Even though we had permission to go there, we have always, so we decided to stay away. But we think that the Russians could do as we arrange permission and prior notice that they are there and practice, but they say nothing.
Can you return later, or want the Russians not at all have you there?
– did not have time to lash back and forth anyway. We have a strict schedule to follow. When we could not go to the depth so we proceeded to the next point on our route where we would take samples, but neither liked the Russians. When we arrived they took contact again and said that we should not be there either.
What did you do then?
– Nothing, we had come up and was about to take samples so we did the job done and then continued.
The Russians were not nervous?
– Well, it got them and said that we would avoid running further east. A warship ran up to us and passed on only 600 meters away. In the distance we saw two Russian warships and a submarine and at the same time came a Swedish fighter aircraft and flew over us at low altitude so there was little happening here.
Where are you going now, have you speaking to Russian ships today?
– No, we are now heading west, and shall take samples west of Gotland so I wonder if we should not be at peace.
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