6 northern European nations sign a deal to protect North Sea infrastructure from hostile actors WSOC TV [Video]

COPENHAGEN, Denmark — (AP) — Six northern Europe countries bordering the North Sea said Tuesday that they have signed an agreement to work together to protect underwater infrastructure in the northern part of the Atlantic Ocean from an increased risk of sabotage.

The Danish Ministry for Climate, Energy and Utilities called the North Sea a hub for critical infrastructure that connects Europe through electricity cables, gas pipes and telecommunications connections and is an important source of renewable energy.

“An increasing mutual dependence across borders has arisen — and with it an increased risk of sabotage and unwanted attention from hostile actors,” the Danish ministry said.

The move comes after the yet-unsolved 2022 explosions that damaged the Nord Stream gas pipelines in the Baltic Sea. They occurred in international waters but within Swedish and Danish economic zones. Both countries have closed their probes into the blasts.

The explosions ruptured the Nord Stream 1 pipeline, which was Russia’s main natural …