STOCKHOLM, October 20. /TASS/. The damage sustained by telecoms link connecting Sweden and Estonia was of mechanical nature, the country’s SVT television reported citing data obtained from Estonian police.

According to preliminary estimates, it was related to the damage sustained by the Balticconnector gas pipe and a telecoms cable between Estonia and Finland. This leads to a conclusion that in all three cases, the damage was of similar nature.

"The armed forces are now at the site and are investigating causes using the Belos [submarine rescue ship]," Swedish Defense Minister Pal Jonson said.

He said he expected the investigation to produce some concrete results within the next 24 hours.

The operation of an undersea gas pipeline between Finland and Estonia was suspended due to a suspected leak. Finnish authorities said at a press conference on October 10 that the damage to the gas pipeline, discovered early on the morning of October 9, was likely the result of external interference. Detective Chief of the National Bureau of Investigation Timo Kilpelainen said that the damage site was located in Finland's economic zone, in the central part of the Gulf of Finland.