Four internet cables were cut in the Red Sea. David Oller/European Press via Getty Images
Internet services across large swathes of Asia, Europe and the Middle East have been disrupted following damage to major providers’ undersea cables to these regions.
A statement from Hong Kong telecommunications company HGC Global Communications said up to 25% of traffic in the region was affected. The company is currently rerouting traffic and “extending assistance to affected businesses” to minimize disruption.
There are more than 15 undersea internet cables in the Red Sea. HGC earlier said in a separate statement that it was “extremely rare” for four reactors to be damaged at once.
Cable cutting did not cut any country off from the internet; wall street journal It reports a significant decline in service in India, Pakistan, and parts of East Africa.
No service has yet disclosed the reason for the price reduction. Yemen’s Communications Ministry denied speculation that it was the cause of the outage. saying “We were keen to keep all communications submarine cables away from any risks.”
Undersea cables carry most of the Internet’s data traffic. Although cheaper than shore cables, they can be damaged by ship anchors.
However, given the ongoing conflict in the Middle East, experts are questioning the timing and severity of the outage. The Iran-based Houthis have been particularly aggressive in the Red Sea, including a cargo ship abandoned by its crew after a Houthi attack in mid-February. At anchor, the ship drifted for several weeks, then sank.
Repairing damaged cables is further complicated by the Houthis’ control of the region and the continuing conflict in Yemen. One of the four affected companies said it planned to start the process early in the second quarter, although permitting issues, weather and the country’s civil war could have an impact.
