In brief
Experts confirm that recent internet outages affecting multiple nations are due to the severing of four major undersea cables in the Red Sea, likely caused by commercial shipping activities. The incident highlights the vulnerability of crucial internet infrastructure, with at least 10 countries experiencing disruptions, including India and the UAE.
DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — Recent internet disruptions impacting several regions, including Africa, Asia, and the Middle East, have been linked to a probable severing of undersea cables in the Red Sea, experts reported on Tuesday. This situation underscores the critical vulnerability of these lines a year after a similar incident occurred.
The International Cable Protection Committee noted that 15 submarine cables navigate the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, a pivotal shipping route that separates East Africa from the Arabian Peninsula. This weekend, several cables, namely the South East Asia–Middle East–Western Europe 4, the India-Middle East-Western Europe, and the FALCON GCX cables, were confirmed as affected. By Tuesday, the list expanded to include the Europe India Gateway cable, as informed by Doug Madory, director of internet analysis at Kentik.
Initial investigations indicated that the damage occurred near Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, although local authorities and cable management firms have yet to acknowledge this. John Wrottesley, operations manager for the committee, attributing the problem to commercial shipping activity, revealed that anchor dragging incidents lead to approximately 30% of submarine cable damages annually.
Madory elaborated that the working theory suggests that a commercial vessel may have dropped its anchor, causing it to drag across four undersea cables, resulting in multiple severed connections. The shallowness of the cabling in the Red Sea makes it susceptible to such incidents.
Undersea cables are vital for global internet connectivity, working alongside satellites and land-based networks. While internet service providers typically have contingency plans to reroute traffic during a failure, service slowdowns are common. Madory stated that at least 10 countries were experiencing internet issues due to this incident, including India, Pakistan, and the UAE.
The cable security has been a rising concern amid ongoing maritime tensions, particularly with Yemen’s Houthi rebels. Previous threats from the Houthis to attack undersea cables had been reported, and while specific cables were cut in early 2024, the rebels have denied responsibility for recent disruptions.
