'Maritime Smoke Buoy' Discovered at Damaged Nord Stream 2 Line

The Danish defense ministry salvaged an empty maritime smoke buoy adjacent to the Nord Stream 2 pipeline on Tuesday, March 28, the Danish Energy Agency said.

The buoy is a kind used for visual marking and does not pose a safety risk, the agency said, The buoy was empty when it was salvaged, officials said

The object was salvaged from a depth of about 73 meters (239 feet), and a representative from Nord Stream 2 AG was present during the salvage, the Danish defense ministry said.

Two leaks on the Nord Stream 1 pipeline and a third on the Nord Stream 2 line were discovered in September 2022.

Russian President Vladimir Putin has since branded the leaks “international terrorism”, while the White House said early evidence pointed to “an attack or some kind of sabotage”.

Investigations are ongoing into who caused the leaks and how. Credit: Danish Energy Agency via Storyful