In brief
Experts reported that commercial shipping activity likely caused the severing of several undersea internet cables in the Red Sea, affecting countries across multiple continents. Major disruptions have been identified, including impacts on nations like India, Pakistan, and the UAE, with internet rerouting causing latency issues for users. The ongoing conflict in the region has raised further concerns about cable security and potential future disruptions.
DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (PulseWire) — In a significant disruption to internet access across Africa, Asia, and the Middle East, experts have confirmed that a ship likely cut undersea cables in the Red Sea.
The International Cable Protection Committee reported that the incident affected several crucial submarine cables, including the South East Asia–Middle East–Western Europe 4, the India-Middle East-Western Europe, and the FALCON GCX cables, with reports on Tuesday adding the Europe India Gateway cable to the list.
The preliminary analysis suggests that the damage may have resulted from commercial shipping activities in the area, with historical data showing that approximately 30% of annual incidents involving undersea cables are linked to dragged anchors from vessels. Doug Madory, director of internet analysis at Kentik, confirmed that the working assumption is that a commercial vessel might have dropped its anchor, resulting in the severed connections.
Initial reports indicated that the damage occurred off the coast of Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, but authorities there have yet to acknowledge the incident, nor have the cable management companies issued statements. The impact of the cable cuts has manifested as internet access issues across multiple countries, including significant interruptions in India, Pakistan, and the United Arab Emirates.
Cable security in this politically tumultuous region has been a growing concern amid conflicts, such as the ongoing crisis caused by Yemen’s Houthi rebels. Reports from early 2024 indicated that the Houthis were planning to target undersea cables, and several instances of cable damage were noted at that time, raising further alarms about potential future threats.
As undersea cables are critical for global internet connectivity, their disruption can lead to rerouted traffic, resulting in slower access for users across the affected regions. While internet service providers typically have plans in place to manage such incidents, the recent cuts have illustrated the vulnerabilities inherent in these vital communication infrastructures.
