The divers checked the hull between the bow thrusters and the stabiliser without finding a hole in the plating, however they did not look below the bilge keel up to the mudline. As explained already the hull is covered by a thick sediment layer, which makes it difficult to see a change of the shell structure or a damage, however, a hole in the plating should have been noted by the divers. The divers found, however, several used welding rods on the sea bottom below the area of the assumed hole indicating earlier welding activities at the hull above*. See also Chapter 29.6 of our Report.

In addition, the area above and below the fender bar was inspected by ROV from aft of the forepeak deck to about frame 109, which is just aft of the sauna compartment. See the drawing on the next page. The fender bar, fitted at car deck level, was noted to be partly level with the seabed and partly up to ca. 1 m above. See the image below.