24.1
Further Evidence

In the meantime some logbook pages from the survey vessel "SUUNTA", the "HALLI" and the "TURSAS" have been received, from which the following information has been abstracted:

(a) "SUUNTA" :
28.09.94 wind : 290°, 18 m/s - heavy weather preventing search work
29.09.94 wind : 280°, 11 m/s - 14 m/s - heavy swell preventing search for wreck of "ESTONIA"

30.09.94
wind : 280°, 12 m/s - 08.40 departed from Hangö, heavy swell, 16.27 commenced search for the wreck, 17.32 hrs.
located the wreck and dropped buoy on position
x = 6585590,0 = 59°22,92'N;
y = 1538902,0 = 21°41,06'E
18.45 hrs. left for Hangö.
Note:
This means that the correct position was known from the very beginning, but even to Olof Forssberg Kari Lethola reported a wrong one. Apparently the correct position was kept secret until the diving operation early December 1994.

(b) "HALLI" or what is believed to be from "HALLI", because these logbooks (except for SUUNTA's) do not carry the names of the vessels:
01.10.94
18.00 moored to Harun jetty

24.00 Karppinen, Aarnio, Turunen, Louhivuori, Tenhunen onboard;
02.10.94
05.00 departure for Utö area to investigate the "ESTONIA" wreck
11.15 dropped anchor in position 59°22,91'N; 21°40,93'E
12.17 lowered ROV system into the sea
16.40 change of anchor position to 59°22,54'N; 21°40,51'E
17.15 continued video recording
20.45 stopped recording

21.30 anchor up and sailed for Pärnäs
03.10.94
03.00 berthed at Pärnäs, Karppinen, Aarnio, Mykkänen, Tenhunen plus 10 ts equipment from board
Note: Consequently the recordings by ROV have taken place from 12.17 hrs. to 20.45 hrs. in the presence of Karppinen and Aarnio from the JAIC. The 3 tapes submitted by the JAIC in March 1995 do fall into this time frame.

(c) "TURSAS" (presumably)
09.10.94
10.20 berthed at Pärnäs, three JAIC representatives onboard, Saarikko, Tenhunen, Louhivuori plus ROV equipment
11.30 departure
17.30 at anchor in pos. 59°22,93'N; 21°40,73'E
21.10 up anchor
21.25 at anchor 200 m NE of previous position
Note:
Unfortunately the logbook pages for 10.10.94 were not submitted. The video footage received from the JAIC in March
1995 does not include recordings made between 17.30 and 21.10 hrs. during the 1st anchoring near the stern of the wreck. It only covers the recordings carried out at the 2nd anchoring between 21.55 hrs. and 02.16 hrs. on the
10.10.94

(d) "TURSAS" (presumably)
17.10.94
00.00 vessel at base
09.20 Capt. Lieut. Mikkilä onboard, Saarikko, Louhivouri, Turunen, Nuorteva, Ratia, Kujansuu onboard.
10.05 departure
10.25 moored alongside CG vessel "UISKO". Mikkilä from board
10.55 Swedish Captain Commander Tönnström onboard
11.00 departure
21.30 pos. 59°25,45'N; 21°43,55'E - commenced searching with sidescan sonar - cruising
18.10.94
14.30 stop, sonar up, anchored in position 59°23,10'N; 21°39,20'E
15.30 ROV equipment found the "ESTONIA" visor in
pos. x = 6585650 y = 1587250 18.45 ROV up, 19.10 anchor up, return to base
Note:
The quoted xy coordinates correspond to the position
59°22,526'N; 21°39,321'E. (See also Chapter 26.1)