French authorities have arrested two crew members of an Italian passenger ferry after discovering malware that could have allowed remote control of the vessel.
According to the Paris prosecutor’s office, a Bulgarian national who was initially detained has been released without any charges. However, a Latvian crew member who recently joined the Fantastic ferry remains in custody and was transferred to Paris on Sunday. The ferry is operated by the Italian shipping company Grandi Navi Veloci.
Investigators say the Latvian suspect is accused of conspiring to infiltrate computer systems on behalf of a foreign power. A remote access tool was reportedly found on board the ship, allowing unauthorized access to its systems. The case was first reported by French newspaper Le Parisien.
The Paris prosecutor’s office said urgent investigations carried out by France’s domestic intelligence agency, the DGSI, led to the seizure of several items that are now being examined. The investigation is continuing under the supervision of an investigating judge and in close cooperation with Italian authorities.
The suspicious software was discovered by GNV while the ferry was docked at the Mediterranean port of Sète. The company alerted both Italian authorities and France’s General Directorate of Internal Security after detecting the malware on the ship’s computer systems. GNV has not disclosed which systems were targeted but stated that the malware was neutralized without causing any damage, according to a report by France 24.
French Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez confirmed that the case involves suspected foreign interference. He described the incident as extremely serious, saying individuals attempted to hack into the ship’s data-processing systems. While he did not name any country, he noted that foreign interference is often linked to state actors, a comment that comes amid ongoing concerns about Russian-linked sabotage activities in Europe.
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