Energy, EU – Baltic States

During World War II, more than 100,000 underwater mines were submerged in the Bay of Finland, and it is believed to be one of most densely underwater mined regions in the world.

After the war, the mines were removed by submerging them to the bottom of the sea-bed, so that they could not surface.

The newspaper points out that such mines have been found on the proposed route of the pipeline. They are mostly located in international waters and are 70 meters under the ocean's surface.

The plan is to detonate the mines underwater, the Russian-German consortium Nord Stream, which is responsible of the pipeline's construction, explains.

The project's map points out to the mines that are located on the proposed route of the pipeline. The pipeline will be installed by a wide ship with 12 large anchors. It is possible that the mines could hinder the ship's anchoring process.

Finnish environmental services have requested an additional explanation on how the company intends to ensure the mines do not threaten the ship's under-water installations.

Until to end of the 1960's, regular and chemical munitions were drowned in the Baltic Sea. During the two world wars, the Baltic Sea was heavily mined, and these mines were sunk to the bottom of the sea after the wars.