When preparing for the trip to Tallinn, Estonia the English name for the country somehow had a strange sound for me. But I couldn’t remember why. That changed only when I was standing in front of the memorial ‘Katkenud liin‘ (broken line) – it remembers the victims of a ferry disaster in 1994. The ferry boat ESTONIA sank on its way from Tallinn, Estonia to Stockholm, Sweden and 852 persons lost their lifes.
The ferry started on the 27th of September, 1994 in Tallinn, Estonia and the sea was uneasy on that day. After 1 am somehow the nose shield broke away, water run into the ship and it sank fast near a Finish island. Only 137 persons could be rescued even though only ten minutes later another ferry boat was close-by. Later the ship was analysed and computer simulations have been done – but the reason for its sinking can still not be determined with full confidence.
Some people believe that it was a simple material defect, others say that the traces on the ship are clear signs of explosions. We will most probably never know. Most countries using the Baltic sea have signed an agreement to not pass the zone where the ship is lying on the ground anymore to not disturb the peace of the dead. Germany didn’t as the agreement doesn’t include a statement about further investigations.
Mälestusmärk ‘Katkenud liin’
Väike Rannavärav 1
10111 Tallinn
Estonia
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