Thank you for an interesting hub about the Estonia sinking. A memorial ceremony in Tallinn, Estonia, in 2019, marking the 25th anniversary of the sinking of the ferry. Twenty minutes later, at 1:50 AM on September 28, 1994, the Estonia slipped from the radar screens and sank in 275 feet of water. Estonia previously sailed as Viking Sally (1980–1990), Silja Star (1990–1991), and Wasa King (1991–1993).. Viking Line As MS Viking Sally. Raigo Pajula/Agence France-Presse — Getty Images. 852 people died in the 1994 sinking of a ferry. I didn't realize that an agreement had been signed prohibiting any contact with the wreck....does make you wonder though yes? Apr 8, 2017 - ms estonia was a Swedish ferry known as the viking line that sunk in 1994 after bow visor failure . This has been a popular article and I'm grateful to all the readers. Capten of the ship was rescued and interviewed after the accident. The Estonian, Swedish and Finnish safety investigation authorities have signed a memorandum of understanding which will allow additional investigations into the causes of the sinking of the M/S Estonia ferry, which sunk in 1994 killing 852. On 29 June 1980, Viking Sally was delivered to Rederi Ab Sally, Finland and was put into service on the route between Turku, Mariehamn and Stockholm [5] [6] (during summer 1982 on the Naantali–Mariehamn–Kapellskär route). Only 137 survived the … The day after the sinking, the investigations began. I know how you feel. An official investigation found that its bow door had been ripped off by the heavy seas, flooding the car deck. I am from Estonia and I have had several vojages from Tallinn to Stockholm. It was a huge ship. For 25 years, the MS Estonia and hundreds of people who went down with it have lain undisturbed in … Glad you enjoyed it. Memorial to the victims of the MS Estonia disaster (Tahkuna, Hiiumaa island, Estonia). Sinking of Estonia is very serious topic for me. The ship had been expected in Stockholm the next morning at about 09:30. “But we methodically scanned the hull of the ship,” Mr. Evertsson said. Evidence collected by two documentary filmmakers is challenging the official explanation of how 852 people died in the 1994 sinking of a ferry in the Baltic Sea, one of Europe’s greatest maritime disasters. David Hunt (author) from Cedar Rapids, Iowa on October 14, 2012: Thanks for reading and commenting, Kate. A few minutes later the crew sounded a general lifeboat alarm followed by a Mayday, although not in the correct international format. David Hunt (author) from Cedar Rapids, Iowa on August 08, 2012: Hi Natashalh. The Estonia disaster occurred on Wednesday, 28 September 1994, between about 00:55 and 01:50 (UTC+2) as the ship was crossing the Baltic Sea, en route from Tallinn, Estonia, to Stockholm, Sweden. I am really interested in this topic. On board the ship were 803 passengers and 186 crew. Richard J ONeill from Bangkok, Thailand on October 08, 2012: I enjoy these types of articles based on historical events and you really did a good job here. (First time I ever heard of a ship being entombed!). The conclusion of experts cited in the documentary was that the ferry had been struck by what was probably a slowly moving but extremely heavy object, causing it to sink. But they have succeeded in raising strong doubts. Violators of that order risk a two-year prison term. It may mean nothing. Tags: Estonia shipwrecks sweden wreck. An undated photograph of the Estonia ferry. But the five-episode documentary, which started streaming online in Scandinavia and Finland on Monday, draws a different and far darker conclusion: The filmmakers found a previously unrecorded gash in the hull of the ship about 13 feet long and four feet wide. Yes, theories and questions continue to swirl around the MS Estonia. Definitely strange. After the accident he had told that it was an assault against Estonian country, which he never replyd. There were sure an assault, but what kind of? David Hunt (author) from Cedar Rapids, Iowa on October 29, 2012: Yes. But then it changed its mind, refusing all pleas from the bereaved relatives to bring the Estonia to the surface, although it sank in shallow waters. Finnish radar monitors the site. After interviewing survivors and collecting evidence for the documentary, “Estonia: The Find That Changes Everything,” they say they found several serious inconsistencies in the official investigation. Well aware of the penalty they might face, Mr. Evertsson and Mr. Mondal decided to go ahead and use a remotely operated underwater camera to map out the entire hull of the ship. I learned a lot and I'm shocked that I had never heard of this terrible disaster until I read your hub. The MS Estonia sinking occurred in the year 1994 in the month of September as the vessel was passing through the Baltic Sea from the Estonian province of Tallinn to her intended destination of Stockholm. MS Viking Sally was sold to Estline in 1993 and renamed MS Estonia, CCA-SA 4.0 by Mark Markefelt / Sjöhistoriska museet. At the time of the incident, the … I vaguely remember thinking that the ferry was some barge-like thing with cars on it at the time but it wasn't like that at all. They were surprised to see the number of surviving crew members to be far higher than what was acceptable. Concluding, the sinking of the ferry vessel MS Estonia in the Baltic Sea marks the second-deadliest peacetime sinking of a European ship, after the Titanic, as well as the deadliest peacetime shipwreck to have taken place in European waters. Good luck! Head of the original investigation committee into the 1994 sinking of the MS Estonia ferry has rejected theories that the disaster was caused by submarine strike. In a joint statement released on Monday, the governments of Estonia, Finland and Sweden said they would investigate the claim, which comes after years of complaints by families of the victims and survivors over the lack of a proper inquiry. Yeah, I can't understand the agreement and rush to keep everyone away. Demas W Jasper from Today's America and The World Beyond on November 27, 2014: The lost deserved to be remembered. Voted up and shared. For Henrik Evertsson and Bendik Mondal, the two leaders of the team that made the Discovery Networks documentary, that presented a problem. Thanks for commenting, Enelle. Inside the Memorial to the MS Estonia in Stockholm, Sweden. The Estonia went down in less than an hour, with only 137 survivors. Silver Ringvee from Estonia on November 06, 2012: Yes, but unfortunately I can not remember these times very well. The general Einseln returned to Estonia 1993 to take command of its military forces from US. Only 94 bodies were recovered of the 852 who lost their lives. Diagram of the MS Estonia showing her top five decks. The Estonia Agreement 1995, a treaty among Sweden, Finland, Estonia, Latvia, Poland, D… Your piece is the first that I have heard of this incident. In 2020, a documentary team, using a German-flagged ship to circumvent the prohibition to approach the site, used a remote-controlled probe to investigate the wreckage. The three countries have agreed that verification of the new information presented in the documentary will be made in accordance and full respect of the Agreement between the Republic of Estonia, the Republic of Finland and the Kingdom of Sweden regarding the M/S Estonia signed in 1995. There´s many hidden truth about the catastroph. Estonia was on a scheduled crossing with departure at 18:30 on 27 September. On the night of September 27-28, 1994, the ferry MS Estonia, carrying 989 passengers between Tallinn and Stockholm, sank in the Baltic Sea, hit by hard weather and winds measuring 9 on the Beaufort scale, which caused enormous waves. There seems to be a lot of strangeness about a lot of things that have happened in the Baltic Sea, which has a long history of tragedies, both man-made and natural. The sinking of the MS Estonia killed 852 people, making it one of history's deadliest European maritime disasters. David Hunt (author) from Cedar Rapids, Iowa on October 08, 2012: Nice to hear from you, Richawriter, and thanks for the great comment. “Everything started with a big bang, not one that you hear, but one that everyone felt.”, In the documentary, a Norwegian maritime expert concluded that the Estonia had been hit by an object with a mass of 1,000 to 5,000 tons, moving at a relatively low speed, about three to 10 kilometers an hour. Official investigations concluded that the bow “visor” was “under-designed” for the Baltic Sea. A Norwegian maritime expert concluded that the Estonia had been hit by an object with a mass of 1,000 to 5,000 tons. MS Estonia, a 16,000-ton cruise ferry that began serving the Tallinn-Stockholm route in 1993 and was operated by the Swedish-Estonian shipping company, Estline, was the largest ship sailing under the Estonian flag at the time. We want to be independent country with our own decisions. It may be an attempt to blunt bad publicity. After all we are told to be one of the best excample of Eu coyntries. I am quite sure that most of the information of Estonia is in Estonian - my native language, so maybe I will write an hub about information which you may not no. As I mentioned in the hub, I had heard of the "ferry" disaster when it happened, but had pictured a typical car ferry, say basically a glorified barge. A year later, a treaty called the Estonia Agreement 1995 between Estonia, Sweden, Finland, Latvia, Poland, Denmark, Russia and the United Kingdom was signed, prohibiting their citizens from even approaching the wreck, declaring it an official burial ground. Estonia, Sweden, and Finland have agreed to assess the new information. Kate McBride from Donegal Ireland on October 14, 2012: I didn't hear of this incident at the time but this well-researched and informative hub gives so much information about it. The Baltic Sea entombs tens and tens of thousands of victims from many sinkings thoughout history. We must look to the past to understand the present and confront the future. What has the UK got to do with the wreck and why should it be involved? “I believe the truth is something other than what people have been told until now,” Mr. Reintamm said. Thanks for the comment, JMCL162. It is estimated that only 310 people were able to get outside the ship, but because of the frigid waters, no children under age 12 and only seven over age 55 survived the freezing seas. The Sinking of the Estonia was met with skepticism. Conspiracy theories abound about the sinking of the MS Estonia: Given the heavy-handedness of the various governments, it's not surprising at the number of conspiracy theories about the sinking. The sinking of the MS Estonia remains the worst European peacetime maritime disaster, and the second worst maritime disaster involving a European made boat since the Titanic. I'm glad you found it so interesting. 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