12.4.4
Water in the visor and on the car deck

The picture below shows ESTONIA at her berth in Tallinn with open visor and closed bow ramp. The arrow no. 1 points to the oil covered lower part of bow ramp which demonstrates the height of the water level with hydraulic oil floating on top inside of the visor when the vessel was at sea in calm weather. Arrow no. 2 points to the bow ramp hinges which are on car deck level.

 

 

• Charley K. Dahlberg, engineer, ca. 40 years old, made about 30 trips on the ESTONIA, clearly remembers frequently having heard the splashing of water inside the visor at sea; realised the bad condition of the visor and of the bow ramp as well as the many cracked and re-welded welding seams in way, decided not to use the ESTONIA anymore when going from Stockholm to Tallinn, but to go via Helsinki instead. The complete interview is attached as Enclosure 12.4.4.158.
• Torsten Sundberg, skipper of the Sandhamn pilot boat, wrote to the Swedish Commission on 14.02.95 as follows (office translation):

  "Reference is made to our earlier telephone conversation in December 1994 about observations concerning the lower bow part/bow visor of "Estonia". There is a little uncertainty about the exact date which could have been the 02.09.94, but what can be of importance is my observation from the pilot boat. On the way out to a vessel we met "Estonia", sea state was moderate, wind came from ESE. "Estonia's" lower bow part was submerged in the waves and when the vessel rose out of the wave-trough masses of water were streaming out of the whole lower part of the bow visor, even out of the sides. This was repeated many times during this meeting with "Estonia". The distance to "Estonia" was ca. 75 m during the observation and the visibility was good."

  Attached to the letter is a drawing which shows water streaming out of the visor from a level above the 3rd stringer, which was the normal filling stage in good weather. Letter and drawing are attached as Enclosure 12.4.4.159.

  Note: According to the logbook of the Stockholm Pilot Association ESTONIA arrived at Sandhamn on the 2 September 1994 at 05.15 hours.

• Torsten Söder, ex Master of DIANA II and since 1993 Stockholm pilot, as well as a number of other pilots have frequently seen what Torsten Sundberg has explained in his letter of 14.02.95. When ESTONIA was approaching the pilot station and had reduced speed from ca. 20 kn to 7-8 kn water was pouring out of the visor, also in calm sea. (See Enclosure 12.4.4.160.)
• Pilot Bo Söderman

  »On the 24 December 1993 I piloted "Estonia" to Stockholm at about 05.50 hrs I went alongside the ferry's starboard side on board the Sandhamn pilot boat inside Svångens Light, wind and sea state according to the attached copy. Water covered the whole starboard side of the car deck ca. 3-5 cm high.
  On 26 December 1993 I piloted "Estonia" again, this time from Söderarm. The weather was now worse, according to my own notes ca. 22 m/s from East, with rough seas. I boarded the ferry about 1,5 nm outside Remmargrunds Light. Upon my recommen-dation the master turned to starboard to make leeway for the pilot boat. I jumped on board from the upper platform of the pilot boat, the port pilot door was open. Under such conditions one has to expect water splashing up from below between ferry and pilot boat. This time, however, surprisingly the water came from above out of the pilot door when the "Estonia" rolled to port. When I came on board the mate warned me that there was "plenty of water on deck!" On the way to the lift I walked through water high up the legs of my boots, ca. 20 cm.
  In my opinion there was 5-10 cm of water over the whole area of the vessel's car deck. The water was splashing about 1 m high against the bulkhead of the stairways (centre casing).«

The complete report is attached as Enclosure 12.4.4.161.

• Kari Holmsten - Shipyard welder, 44 years old.
  As far as he remembers, it must have been already back in October 1993 when they came down to the car deck and there was still water on the deck inside the indentations and in the corners at the sides. (See Enclosure 12.4.4.155.)

The following 6 statements were taken during telephone interviews after EFTERLYST TV - see Enclosures 12.4.145 - 12.4.147.

• Roger Nyström - made a trip on the ESTONIA in May 1993 and noted water on the car deck although the sea was calm, heard strange noises in his cabin, like rhythmic bangs from forward.
• Åke Eriksson - travelled on the ESTONIA in September 1994. The car deck was wet as if there had been water rushing around.
• Li Iker - This witness travelled to Tallinn on board the ESTONIA on 2 September 1994 and returned on the following day. The vessel left Stockholm on schedule, but then returned after about 30 minutes, stayed re-moored to jetty for about 30 minutes and then left again. This was said to be due to trying out a new jetty, which everyone on board knew to be only an excuse because it was the same jetty which ESTONIA was always using. Upon return to Stockholm somebody from the crew (she cannot say who) said it was "because of visor problems, but we did not want to make the passengers nervous". Li sat in the reception and did not see the visor during this incident.
  The witness had a cabin all the way down in the vessel (i.e. on the 1st deck). Whilst waiting for her friend she was walking around a bit. As there had been a peculiar smell on the car deck she went there to have a look. She changed her mind, however, because before stepping over the sill she saw that the car deck was full with water - more than there would be just from deck washing. It is difficult to estimate the exact height of the water, but it was in any event remarkably high, so high that she could not step into it without becoming quite wet. The witness considered this to be strange, because the weather was fine and there was no storm.
  The witness and her friend had booked the offered sightseeing tour through the engine room which, however, was cancelled without explanation.
  On the way back to Stockholm she was visiting the bridge around 20.00 hours in heavy head seas, when the officer showed them the speed = full speed less 1 knot. The banging against the seas was severe, so that she could not sleep. She could not differentiate between water/ ship banging and metallic visor/ship banging.
• Tomas Jannupe - His parents made a trip on the ESTONIA two weeks before the casualty. It was quite stormy at night. They heard noises from the car deck as if water was moving from side to side. It took a long time in Tallinn before they were able to leave the car deck as there was something wrong with the hydraulic cylinders.
• Thomas - This witness has already spoken to the police a couple of times. Travelled on ESTONIA the voyage before she sank together with his father, mother and girl friend. They had a cabin below the car deck and heard large water quantities moving above them from side to side. "It sounded as if a 25-m pool was in movement." The family tried to report to the crew what they heard, but could not find anybody able to speak Swedish.
• Östen Lönnerström and Barbro Hellström - They met two ex crew members of the ESTONIA in October/November 1994, then probably on VIRONIA (subsequently renamed MARE BALTICUM) who told them the following:

  • there was a continuous leak in the hydraulic system of the visor which was frequently reported to the officer, but not changed;
  • the watertight doors could not be closed properly which was widely known on board;
  • the Atlantic lock did not function properly;
  • the visor could not be closed properly, they left port with a gap open and tried to close it properly outside;

Note: This was also observed by the watchman on the Sandhamn watch tower reported by visitors to the Second Exhibition of the 'German Group of Experts' in Stockholm.

• since March 1994 there frequently was a lot of water on the car deck which was not due to the fact that the visor could not be closed, but due to the untight bow ramp. The respective letter is attached as Enclosure 12.4.4.162 with office translation.

• Torbjörn Cederqvist - truck driver -

  »When we came back down to the car deck before or upon arrival at either side I remember that the car deck was always wet with water standing in the indentations. This was particularly in the forward part of the car deck behind the bow ramp.
  I have frequently observed when sitting in my truck watching the berthing manoeuvre of "Estonia" in Tallinn and the opening of her visor that water was splashing out of the visor when it was opened. I have also observed in Stockholm after I had left the ferry via the stern ramp and was then driving alongside the vessel forward that water was still streaming out of the closed visor.«

The complete statement is attached as Enclosure 12.4.3.157.

• Carl Övberg - truck driver and businessman -

  »I saw welding and burning several times when the ramp was closed. It was the port side, mainly the lower bolt. There was always a ladder in the vicinity of the bow ramp. I once or twice came down to the car deck at sea during normal weather/sea state conditions, opened the door in the centre casing and saw at once that there was a lot of water on the car deck, I would estimate about 5 cm. This was the 2nd door from forward, i.e. in the forward third of the car deck. This was on voyage from Stockholm to Tallinn, because vice versa I had no reason to go to the car deck as I sold the cars in Tallinn.«

The complete statement is attached as Enclosure 12.4.2.151.