Red Sea cables have been damaged, disrupting global internet traffic

[BumRushDaShow]

Source: CNN Business

Published 5:45 AM EST, Mon March 4, 2024


London CNN — Damage to undersea cables in the Red Sea is disrupting global telecommunications networks and forcing internet providers to reroute as much as a quarter of traffic between Asia, Europe and the Middle East.

Cables belonging to four major telecoms networks have been “cut” causing “significant” disruption to communications networks in the Middle East, according to Hong Kong telecoms company HGC Global Communications.

HGC estimates that 25% of traffic between Asia and Europe as well the Middle East has been impacted, it said in a statement Monday.

The company said it is rerouting traffic to minimize disruption for customers and also “extending assistance to affected businesses.” HGC did not say how the cables had been damaged or who was responsible.

Read more: https://www.cnn.com/2024/03/04/business/red-sea-cables-cut-internet/index.html

[PJMcK]

1. Gee, how could those cables have been cut?

Who could do such a terrible thing?

Who would want to limit that region’s access to the internet?

(snark)

[Kennah]

2. Someone carelessly smoking?

[Eugene]

3. Happens all the time. All it takes is a ship to drop anchor in the wrong place.

The maritime equivalent of a backhoe incident.

In this case, the now-sunk freighter Rubymar drifted into the area
while dragging its anchor. It finally caught hold not far from the cables
in the middle of the channel.

[IronLionZion]

4. So it wasn't intentional?

I thought the Houthis may have attacked it?

[Eugene]

6. They may have attacked it, but that needs to be proven.

The cables lie at a depth of around 300m and they are unprotected.
The internationally recognized Yemeni government has raised
the danger of sabotage, but the Houthis have not demonstrated
an obvious capability. They have missiles and aircraft
to harass shipping, but sea-going craft that can reach a cable
without being seen is a taller order.

Rubymar may be a plausible alternate explanation.
For the record, the Houthis are denying they cut the cable.

[IronLionZion]

5. I would suspect Houthis but they denied responsibility for this one.

They're blaming US and British Navy units operating in the area.