Ship en route to repair Sitka’s damaged fiber optic cable

Southeast

September 5, 2024 by KCAW staff - Sitka

A British-flagged cable-laying ship is sailing from Canada to Southeast Alaska to repair a damaged undersea fiber optic cable that has disrupted telecommunications and internet in Sitka since last Thursday.

Alaska telecom firm GCI says the Cable Innovator stopped at Victoria, British Columbia to load materials for the repair job. It should arrive by the end of the week.

GCI has confirmed no other details about the incident – neither the location of the break nor how it may have occurred. Information circulating on social media in Sitka about the involvement of a cruise ship is unsubstantiated.

GCI says it cannot be more specific about the incident until the Cable Innovator is on scene, and repairs are underway.

The Cable Innovator’s progress to Sitka can be tracked on the VesselFinder website.