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After images of a large hole in the Estonian hull were made public in connection with a new Discovery documentary series, the Swedish, Estonian and Finnish accident commissions began a preliminary assessment of the new information.
– We meet remotely, the three accident commissions, regularly once a week, we have more deliberations when necessary and jointly decide how to proceed. We focus on the material in each country and share it with each other, says Jonas Bäckstrand, Deputy Director General of the Swedish Accident Investigation Board.
I visited a few weeks ago The Estonian Accident Investigation Board in Sweden and together they investigated the Estonian bow visor, which is stored in Muskö on the outskirts of Stockholm.
During the visit, they also saw raw footage from Discovery’s television documentary, which examined the Estonian hull with a remote-controlled underwater camera. The raw material also shows a second, smaller hole that was not included in the documentary because, according to the film crew, it could have natural causes. Exactly what caused the two holes has not been established and Estonian experts believe it is very possible that they arose when the ferry sank and hit the seabed.
– We asked if it was possible to see the raw material and the film company has queued. Finland’s Accident Investigation Board was unable to attend due to crown restrictions, says Jonas Bäckstrand.
– In addition, we had a meeting with some of the survivors and family representatives on October 29. We are planning more meetings with the survivors in the future.
Estonia is in international waters but it is protected by special legislation on serious peace signed by several countries, including Sweden, Estonia and Finland. The law will now be tried for the first time in a trial against two Swedish nationals who participated in the Discovery documentary.
852 people died, of which 757 are missing, of the 989 who were on board when the ship sank in the Baltic Sea, between Tallinn and Stockholm, on September 28, 1994.
Sweden, Finland and Estonia had previously announced in a press release that they would evaluate the documentary data, but emphasized that they were confident in the conclusions presented by the 1997 final report of the International Accident Investigation Board. According to him, the cause of the disaster was the lost arch of Estonia. water poured into the fully open bow. The investigation has been questioned by critics.
When asked how important Discovery’s new film material is, Jonas Bäckstrand responds:
– The film footage shows holes that have not been documented before and of course it is crucial for us to see that information in its entirety. So, of course, we must continue the work of figuring out how these holes were produced. If we talk about quality, there has been a technical development which means that film material like this is in some respects higher quality than 1994 film material. In some parts the helmet is very clear and visible and in some parts the footage it is disturbed by microbes and particles. in water.
Says metallurgical analysis and it will be necessary to perform analysis of the hull structure to clarify the origin of the two holes.
– The focus is on finding out how, why and when these holes have appeared in the side of the ship. Somehow this large hole has emerged and the main force seems to be directed from the outside towards the ship. So it is important to analyze: What is the quality of the steel? How does it look in construction with the frame behind? What forces might be required to make this hole, and what scenarios could create a hole like this?
– We want to reach a conclusion about how these holes have arisen and we do not rule out that there may be a question of more dives in the future. We do not arrive at any type of message that we can leave in it. But right now we are not ruling out anything.
Accident commissions also examine Estonian drawings and previous studies of bottom conditions at the Estonian location.
– We have some drawings for the boat and we may need more. We also have some seafloor surveys and are gaining access to more. This is footage from previous surveys that needs to be retrieved, but also more recent information that may be available, especially in Finland, as the site is located in the Finnish Economic Zone. They are the most competent to express themselves on questions of changes in the fund and if there have been changes in the conditions of the fund during these years.
Aftonbladet has reported on a large Estonian investigation found in the basement of the police station in Kronoberg. Do you have access to that material?
– It is said in the media that there are things there. I know that a large part of the file of the National Criminal Police from that time is also in the National Archive. We have not yet had to search the basement of the police station, but so far when we have asked for documents, we have received what we have requested.
Do you have access to all the material?
– We will have access to all the material we want, I have no doubt about that. All the research material is in a sense new to us. Those of us working on this in Sweden have not been involved in previous Estonian research and all research material has been previously archived and is, in principle, in the National Archives. Part of our job is to familiarize ourselves with previous research and previous material, collect it from the authority, and divide it among the three authorities.
Have you seen all the film material that already exists?
– We have seen part of that film material and we have access to it for further reviews to be able to make comparisons between them.
What is the next step, is it diving and when can it happen?
– I can’t answer that right now. The work continues and we assess that it is better to do proper and careful work than to do it too quickly. So we take one thing at a time and see. In time, we will certainly talk about that topic.
Read more:
Prosecutors are investigating whether to resume a preliminary investigation into the Estonian disaster.
New 3D technology can create a detailed image of the Estonian helmet
Legal experts: “If Estonia wants to dive, it’s free”
