In preparation of the covering of the wreck as decided by the Swedish Government already in 1995 the Finnish Environment Protection Organisation and the Finnish Board of Navigation began with preparations in spring 1996 to pump out the heavy fuel from the bunker tanks of the ESTONIA as soon as the weather situation permitted. For this purpose reportedly two sophisticated ROVs were leased from Norwegian off-shore operators, which could also perform underwater flame-cutting. Furthermore, the oil-pollution fighting vessel HALLI was equipped with an installation able to warm up the asphalt-like heavy fuel and then pump up the liquid part, a rather time consuming matter. This installation proved to be very sensitive and thus work could only be performed up to wind force Bft. 4, whereafter the installation had to be pulled up. In order to make use of the sophisticated ROVs Tuomo Karppinen and Klaus Rahka from the Finnish part of the JAIC then frequently took the chance to make further ROV surveys of the wreck. A request by a member of this 'Group of Experts' for permission to attend one of these ROV surveys of the wreck was categorically denied by the Finns.
Subsequently a copy of a video allegedly made on 19.06.96 was received which shows images of good quality (PAL format and copied to PAL) of the foreship area only, although the complete vessel had been resurveyed and more videos had been made which, however, were not made available to this 'Group of Experts'.
The evaluation of the video tape revealed that the area around the port outer ramp hinge was now quite well visible without the mattresses, blankets and whatever else the crew had squeezed into the gap created by the partly open bow ramp. A damage hole in the port lower front bulkhead can be seen which will be explained in Subchapter 29.2.Also a strong lug welded to the front bulkhead is visible which was fitted by the yard for the wire controlling the bow ramp ropes.
The video further produced very clear images of both the port and the starboard visor hinge bolts, both front bulkheads and parts of the bow ramp which improved the evidence available already and which is further discussed in Subchapter 29.2.
Upon respective questioning, Karppinen and Rahka advised that there were no holes in the hull and that otherwise no changes to the wreck had been observed. Only later did it become public that during these ROV surveys it was discovered that steel plates, which the divers had previously fitted and welded over the holes cut by them into the shell plating forward and aft in way of deck 1, had been removed from their openings in the meantime. (Theses plates reportedly weighed 500 kg.)
It can be assumed that those who removed the heavy steel covers from the openings are probably identical with those who broke off the steel sheeting underneath the port bridge wing - see Chapter 27. Needless to say that these facts are not mentioned in the Report of the JAIC.
