The Swedish Accident Investigation Authority requests the legislation to be amended.
In December 2020, the Swedish Accident Investigation Authority requested that the legislation protecting the wreck of MV Estonia is amended so that it is permitted for the investigation authority to carry out new surveys on site.
In December 2020, the accident investigation authorities in Estonia, Sweden and Finland agreed that the new information about damage to the starboard side of the ship is such that new examinations of the ship needed to take place on site.
MV Estonia is regarded as a final place of rest for victims of the disaster. There is an international agreement to protect the ship and the surrounding area from diving or other activities that disturb the peace of the final place of rest. Nine countries have signed the agreement. In some of the countries, i.a. in Sweden and Finland, there is national legislation that prohibits diving and other underwater activities in the area with certain exceptions. One such exception is that measures may be taken to prevent pollution of the marine environment around the wreck.
On December 18, 2020, the Swedish Accident Investigation Authority requested that the government take measures to amend the Swedish legislation in such a way that it is made clear that investigation measures of the authority is permitted. The government submitted a bill to the Parliament with this meaning and the Parliament decided to amend the law.According to the amended legislation the wreck is still protected, but the exceptions to the law also apply to authorities investigating the accident. The amendment entered into force on 1 July 2021.
At the same time, corresponding amendments entered into force in Finland. However, the Finnish amendment is temporary and applies until the end of 2024.
The surveys of MV Estonia have been performed with various forms of underwater robots (ROVs). In the picture on the right is a work class ROV used by Reach Subsea AS in the 2023 surveys.
DIGITAL MODEL OF ESTONIA.
As part of the assessment of the new information about Estonia, a digital and a physical model have been created.
The purpose of the digital model of MS Estonia is to provide as accurate a general overview as possible of the ship's exterior and the structural and technical characteristics of the ship as it appeared on 27 September 1994.
The model was created in order to develop a physical model of Estonia and to demonstrate the ship during various surveys and in public contexts.
In accordance with an agreement between the prime ministers of Estonia, Finland and Sweden, a temporary Joint Accident Investigation Commission (JAIC) was formed to investigate the accident.
On September 28, 2020, footage was published showing a previously unknown hole in the ship's starboard side. The Estonian Safety Investigation Bureau therefore initiated a preliminary assessment of the new information and requested assistance from the corresponding authorities in Finland and Sweden.
The purpose of the preliminary assessment is to consider whether the new information gives reason to revise the conclusions drawn in the 1997 report, if new investigation measures should be taken and if so which ones.
For further information on the work on the preliminary assessment, Read more see here.
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