Ship from China was near Baltic Connector at time of incident

A Chinese vessel is suspected to have been close to a major undersea gas pipeline when it developed a sudden leak in the Gulf of Finland, Report informs referring to Daily Mail.

Previous reports had focused on possible Russian sabotage to the Baltic Connector gas pipeline, linking NATO states Finland and Estonia, which Finnish authorities expect to be out of service for months after discovering it had been damaged earlier this month.

Vladimir Putin described the charge as 'complete nonsense' despite the presence of the Russian oil tanker SGV Float close to the scene, and Finnish claims that a 'state actor' was likely involved.

But now Estonian state broadcaster ERR said the container ship Newnew Polar Bear was closer to the pipeline at the key moment.

Estonian daily Postimees said the vessel - sailing under the Hong Kong flag but belonging to China - was in the vicinity of the Baltic Connector pipeline when 'seismic' activity was recorded in the area.

It was 'much closer' than the Russian ship eight days ago when the leak was caused by 'strong mechanical force' in the Gulf of Finland.

The Estonian authorities were reported to have been slow to voice concrete suspicions because the information 'is so politically and diplomatically sensitive that they want to make absolutely sure first'.

The container ship was returning from Shanghai with a stop in Russian Baltic exclave Kaliningrad on its way to St Petersburg, it was reported.