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German prosecutors announced the arrest of two men on Tuesday, suspected of attempting to sabotage several naval vessels at a shipyard in Hamburg last year.
A 37-year-old Romanian and a 54-year-old Greek citizen, who were port employees at the time, are accused of targeting multiple corvettes designed to modernise Germany’s fleet.
The suspects allegedly engaged in extensive tampering, including pouring over 20 kilograms of grit into an engine block, puncturing water lines, and deactivating electronic safety systems.
Authorities noted that the interference was discovered in time to prevent permanent damage, though they warned that undetected sabotage could have severely compromised Germany’s national security and military readiness.
Investigators identified the pair after noticing that the timing of seven different attacks on five vessels overlapped with the men’s work shifts at a corrosion protection firm.
While the two suspects are in custody following a coordinated European operation, German officials are still working to determine if a mastermind or foreign entity directed the attacks.
The arrests come as NATO members remain on high alert for espionage and infrastructure attacks.
In response to increasing threats, the German parliament recently passed new legislation to bolster the protection of critical infrastructure against sabotage, accidents, and extremist activity.
