Episode of Delay and Recovery on the Hawk Cable

On the submarine cable Hawk, connecting Marseille, Alexandria, and Cyprus, an episode of increased latency was recorded on July 8, 2026. Baseline metrics were restored on July 10-11. A forest fire in Spain, reported on July 9, did not impact the cables in the area.

What the measurements recorded

The episode of increased latency on the Hawk cable was recorded on July 8, 2026, between 08:00 and 09:35 UTC. On the Marseille -> Alexandria route, the latency reached 80.5 ms, which is 57% higher than the baseline (~51 ms). Abnormal values were also observed on regional segments of the cable: Jerusalem -> Yeroskipos (Cyprus) showed 122.7 ms, while the ultra-long route Sydney -> Yeroskipos reached 262.9 ms, compared to typical values of around 247 ms. These data were obtained as part of GeoCables' regular monitoring, which covers key routes of the Mediterranean hub. The Hawk cable, operational since 2011, plays a crucial role in ensuring connectivity between Europe, the Middle East, and the Eastern Mediterranean.

Recovery

The restoration of baseline latency metrics on the Hawk cable occurred over two days, July 10 and 11. By 01:31 UTC on July 10, measurements on the Marseille -> Alexandria route showed values of 46.9-48.6 ms, which are within the normal range. Subsequent checks on July 11 at 14:00 UTC confirmed the stability of the restored parameters. The Hawk cable, as part of the Mediterranean hub in Marseille, remains a vital component of the regional network, connecting Europe with key nodes in the Middle East and North Africa. The restoration of baseline latency metrics underscores the system's resilience despite temporary deviations.

Fire Watch: Spain

On July 9, 2026, at 22:06 UTC, the GDACS system reported a Green-level forest fire in Spain. Within the notification zone, which has a radius of 500 km, there are 34 submarine cables, including Hawk, Penbal-5, MedLoop, and Medusa Submarine Cable System. GeoCables switched the monitoring of these cables to a priority mode with increased measurement frequency. It is important to note that the episode of increased latency on Hawk occurred before the fire notification, and our data does not indicate a causal link between these events. No new deviations on the cables in the area were recorded after the fire notification.

What's next

GeoCables continues to monitor the cables in the area, including Hawk, Penbal-5, MedLoop, and Medusa Submarine Cable System, on an ongoing basis. Marseille, as a key Mediterranean hub, remains a critical node for submarine cable systems connecting Europe, Africa, and the Middle East. All cable status data is updated in real time, and any changes will be promptly recorded. GeoCables will continue to provide up-to-date information on the status of the region's submarine cable systems.