This story describes how Léon Thévenin has been Deployed to Address Faults on EASSy and Seacom Cables.
A critical repair mission is underway to restore internet connectivity to East Africa. Orange Marine’s vessel, Léon Thévenin, departed Cape Town Harbour on Tuesday, May 14th, 2024, to tackle faults on the Eastern Africa Submarine System (EASSy) and Seacom cables.
These faults, reported on May 12th, disrupted internet access for countries along Africa’s East Coast, including Madagascar, Malawi, Mozambique, and Tanzania. Users in South Africa also experienced issues due to potential terrestrial cable failures.
The Léon Thévenin is equipped for deep-sea repairs, operating in depths ranging from 10 meters to 7 kilometers. It carries various tools for cable work, including grapnels, buoys, and a remotely operated vehicle (ROV) for precise underwater cable operations.
The vessel is expected to reach the repair site by Saturday, May 18th. EASSy, a vital 10,000-kilometer cable system, connects Eastern Africa to the global internet infrastructure. Seacom, another key player, currently faces an unrepaired break in the Red Sea due to regional security concerns.
This repair mission aims to restore internet connectivity and communication services across East Africa.
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This comes just three months after a separate incident involving the Red Sea cables disrupted service in the region.
In February, a ballistic missile attack damaged a cargo ship, the Rubymar. The ship’s anchor is believed to have severed three critical Red Sea cables: the Seacom/Tata cable, AAE-1, and EIG. These cuts, impacting countries like Tanzania, Kenya, Uganda, and Mozambique, remain unrepaired as of May 13th.
The latest issues with EASSy and Seacom highlight the region’s vulnerability when submarine cables are compromised.
