First seabed cable fix on schedule

Friday 02 December 2016

Specialist marine engineering teams have found the two ends of one of the undersea cables which was severed earlier in the week, and have begun repairing the break.

JT say the fix should be completed by early next week. On Monday its believed that a ship dropped its anchor and then dragged it across the seabed, cutting the cables in its path, and causing some disruption to Jersey's communications services.

Three cables to the Uk used by JT were cut, and the company has been routing traffic across it's cable to France instead. 

Daragh McDermott, Director of Corporate Affairs for JT, said: “All traffic is being carried with a limited amount of spare capacity and the level of disruption has been minimal but the situation is far from resolved and we remain on high alert.

“As we have said from the start, this is an unprecedented issue and there may be some disruption at peak times. I would again like to thank Islanders for their understanding and we will continue to keep everyone updated.

“The Cable Ship Wave Sentinel is now working above one of the cables. It has located both ends of the severed cable and will now begin the complicated task of fixing them together. It is still expected that this first cable will be repaired by the beginning of next week.”