Overview
- The suspects—a 37-year-old Romanian detained in Hamburg and a 54-year-old Greek arrested in his home country—are accused of tampering with a navy corvette in 2025 while working at the port shipyard.
- Prosecutors say they poured more than 20 kg of abrasive gravel into an engine, perforated freshwater lines, removed fuel tank plugs and disabled electronic safety switches.
- The sabotage was discovered during inspections, and prosecutors said the actions could have caused major damage or delayed sailings, undermining Germany’s security and military effectiveness.
- The arrest warrant currently covers one vessel, while media reports, including Der Spiegel, describe up to five suspected targets, likely K130-class corvettes based in Hamburg.
- Authorities searched properties tied to the men in Germany, Romania and Greece, with Greek police seizing electronic devices and banking records as investigators examine whether the pair acted on a state’s behalf.