Two Subco undersea cables damaged off Perth; AFP probes possible sabotage
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Two Subco undersea cables — Indigo-West and Indigo-Central — reported shunt faults in rapid succession off Perth Tuesday, with the faults occurring in close proximity. The Australian Federal Police said they had received a crime report and were investigating, as Subco CEO Bevan Slattery noted a vessel coincidentally traversing the submarine cable protection zone when the faults happened.
Shunt Faults
The Indigo-West cable, connecting Perth to Indonesia and Singapore, and Indigo-Central, linking Victoria, Tasmania, and New South Wales, experienced shunt faults almost simultaneously. A shunt fault occurs when insulation breaks and causes a short circuit. Both faults were detected in the Submarine Cable Protection Zone off Perth, established by Australia in 2007 and extending 51 nautical miles offshore at depths over 2,000 meters.
Suspicious Vessel
Bevan Slattery, Subco’s founder and CEO, posted on LinkedIn that the faults happened “straight after each other and in close proximity,” coinciding with a vessel’s track he shared. He called the situation “a concerning development” and urged the Australian Federal Police to investigate urgently. The AFP confirmed receiving a crime report and is assessing the information.
Global Pattern of Cable Sabotage
The incident adds to a growing list of suspected gray zone warfare targeting undersea infrastructure, with Russia and China accused of sponsoring such activities. Finland has endured two cable disruptions in recent years, leading to prosecutions of crew members from suspected vessels. Taiwan has also increased naval patrols around its cables after a Chinese research vessel was observed above a cable linking the island to the U.S.
What's Next
The AFP said it is assessing the report and will provide further comment at an appropriate time. It remains unclear whether the faults resulted from deliberate sabotage, as Slattery acknowledged the vessel activity could be coincidence, but he stressed the urgency of the investigation.
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Two Subco undersea cables damaged off Perth; AFP probes possible sabotage
