26.1
Further Evidence

The logbook from the search vessel "TURSAS" from 16, 17, 18 October 1994 are available and have been translated. Accordingly the vessel was in Latokori on 16th and 17th October, where at 09.20 hours the following persons boarded the vessel: Saarikko, Louhivuori, Turunen, Nuorteva, Ratia and Kujansuu. Louhivuori and Turunen were already participating in the previous ROV inspections and Nuorteva is a sonar expert from the Finnish Navy, according to the newspaper reports - see Chapter 37.2 - and he is also mentioned in the fax reports from Kari Lethola to Olof Forssberg - see Chapter 24. The "TURSAS" left her berth and shortly afterwards moored alongside the CG vessel "UISKO". From this vessel the Swedish Captain Commander Tönnström came onboard and the Finnish Captain Lieutenant Mikkilä left the vessel, which subsequently sailed. At 21.30 hours in position 59°25,45'N; 21°43,55'E the search by means of sidescan sonar was commenced. This position lies 3 nm to the NE of the wreck where in all probability ESTONIA can never have been, thus it has to be assumed that the gentlemen were searching for something different than the visor of the ESTONIA. The search was subsequently carried from ca. 1 nm to the East of the wreck, to ca. 2 nm to the South and 1 nm to the West of the wreck, which according to Kari Lethola's fax to Olof Forssberg on 06.10.94 - see page 702 - had already been searched before. Anyway, according to the "TURSAS" log entries the visor was found and identified by ROV on 18.10.94 at 15.30 hours in position x = 6585650, y = 1587250 which, according to the F.B.N. computer corresponds to 59°22,526'N; 21°39,322'E which was subsequently repeated by the Finnish Navy to be 59°22,97'N; 21°39,33'E.

According to the logbook entry (manual) of icebreaker "NORDICA" the visor was found in position 59°23'N; 21°39,4'E, lifted and brought to Hankö. See Enclosure 24.408.1. There is presently no more evidence on the visor search and position available.