Timeline of events

Sinking of MV Estonia on 28 September 1994

28.09.1994

MV Estonia sank on Wednesday, 28 September 1994, en route from Tallinn, Estonia, to Stockholm, Sweden.

Forming the Joint Accident Investigation Commission of Estonia, Finland and Sweden

29.09.1994

After the sinking of MV Estonia, the Joint Accident Investigation Commission of Estonia, Finland and Sweden was set up on 29 September 1994, in accordance with a decision taken on 28 September 1994 at Turku, Finland, by the prime ministers of the three countries.

Agreement between the Republic of Finland, the Republic of Estonia and the Kingdom of Sweden regarding the MV Estonia

23.02.1995

Agreement regarding the MV Estonia. Signed at Tallinn on 23 February 1995. The wreck of the MV Estonia and the surrounding area shall be regarded as a final place of rest for victims of the disaster, and as such shall be afforded appropriate respect. The MV Estonia shall not be raised.

Part-report of the Joint Accident Investigation Committee (JAIC)

30.04.1995

Part-Report of the Joint Accident Investigation Committee (JAIC), concerning technical issues on the capsizing on 28 September 1994 in the Baltic Sea of the M/S Estonia

Protocol additional to the Agreement between the Republic of Estonia, the Republic of Finland and the Kingdom of Sweden regarding the MV Estonia

23.04.1996

Protocol additional to the Agreement between the Republic of Estonia, the Republic of Finland and the Kingdom of Sweden regarding the MV Estonia

JAIC report

03.12.1997

Pursuant to an agreement concluded between Estonia, Finland and Sweden a "Joint Accident Investigation Commission" for the investigation of the capsizing of the passenger vessel MV ESTONIA on 28 September 1994 was set up on 29 September 1994, in accordance with a decision taken by the prime…

Report of the Committee of Experts

10.03.2006

Report of the Committee of Experts formed for the investigation of circumstances related to the transport of equipment for mititary use on the passenger ferry Estonia in September 1994.

SSPA Consortium Final Report

08.05.2008

SSPA Consortium Final Report- Research Study on the Sinking Sequence of MV Estonia.

HSVA Final Report

08.05.2008

HSVA Report No. 1663 for The Swedish Governmental Agency for Innovation Systems VINNOVA. Research Study on the Sinking Sequence and Evacuation of the MV Estonia - Final Report.

Statement by Foreign Ministers of Estonia, Finland and Sweden

28.09.2020

Foreign Minister of Estonia Urmas Reinsalu, Foreign Minister of Finland Pekka Haavisto and Foreign Minister of Sweden Ann Linde have agreed that in case of a new significant information on the catastrophe of the M/S Estonia that has not been reported before, Estonia, Finland and Sweden will …

Government supported the continuation of preparations for the further investigation of the ferry Estonia

01.10.2020

Stenbock House, 1 October 2020 – At today’s cabinet meeting, the Government decided to continue preparing for the further investigation of the ferry Estonia, including consultations with Finland and Sweden.

Safety investigation authorities will conduct preliminary assessment regarding new information on MV Estonia

02.10.2020

Film material was published on 28 September 2020, showing an unreported hole in the hull of passenger ship MV Estonia. The Estonian Safety Investigation Authority has on 2 October 2020 taken a decision to initiate a preliminary assessment of the new information. The Swedish and Finnish Safety…

The government will submit a proposal to Finland and Sweden to further investigate MV Estonia

06.10.2020

Stenbock House, 6 October 2020 – during today’s cabinet meeting, the government decided to submit a proposal to the governments of Finland and Sweden to further investigate MV Estonia in cooperation between the three nations.

Riksdag: legislative amendment concerning the protection of the peace of the maritime grave around the wreck of MS Estonia

03.06.2021

The Riksdag voted in favour of the Government's proposal to enable continued investigations in the protected maritime grave area.

Eduskunta: amendments to the law protecting the resting site of MV Estonia

04.06.2021

The Finnish Parliament Eduskunta adopted the amendment to the law protecting the site of MV Estonia, allowing authorities to carry out investigations of the wreckage. The law change is temporary, being in force until the end of 2024.

Estonian and Swedish safety investigation authorities conduct underwater survey on the wreck of MV Estonia in July

07.07.2021

The Estonian Safety Investigation Bureau, the Swedish Accident Investigation Authority and the Finnish Safety Investigation Authority are performing a preliminary assessment of the new information that became evident in September 2020 about holes in the hull of MV Estonia

Commemorative ceremony held at the shipwreck site of MV Estonia

09.07.2021

Today, at noon, a commemorative ceremony was held at the shipwreck site of MV Estonia, attended by church officials from Estonia, Sweden, Latvia, and Finland, as well as representatives from the families of victims of the MV Estonia shipwreck.

The preliminary surveys of the wreck of MV Estonia will combine 10 different types of complex survey techniques

14.07.2021

On days four and five (12 and 13 July) of the preliminary surveys of the MV Estonia shipwreck, the team conducted side-scan sonar, multibeam sonar, sub-bottom profiler, and 3D sonar surveys. The ten days of preliminary surveys should see a total of ten different complex survey techniques utilised,…

Rene Arikas: The preliminary assessment of the MV Estonia shipwreck confirmed the need for investigation

20.07.2021

Between 8 and 16 July, the Estonian Safety Investigation Bureau, the Swedish Accident Investigation Authority, and the Safety Investigation Authority of Finland, led by the Estonians, conducted a preliminary assessment of the wreck of the passenger ferry MV Estonia and the surrounding seafloor.

Summary of underwater robot survey

20.07.2021

According to the order of the Estonian Safety Investigation Bureau, Tuukritööde OÜ carried out underwater robot survey at the wreck of the passenger ferry Estonia between 14 and 15 July 2021 to check the images and objects on the sonar images.

3D scan report from MV Estonia pre-survey

07.08.2021

Estonian, Swedish and Finnish safety investigation authorities conducted a pre-survey at MV Estonia wreck site from the 8th to the 16th of July 2021. During the pre-survey from 11th to 16th of July 3D scanning was carried out with Kongsberg-Mesotech MS1000 scanner in cooperation with USA based 3D…

Stockholm University's report of the MV Estonia shipwreck site survey with RV Electra

16.11.2021

Report of the MV Estonia shipwreck site survey with RV Electra, carried out from July 8th to 15th, 2021 by Martin Jakobsson, Christian Stranne, Rickard Fornander, Matt O’Regan, Anton Wagner and the EL21-Estonia Ship Board Party

Press briefing: intermediate summary of the preliminary assessment of the wreck of MV Estonia

16.11.2021

At the press briefing of Estonian, Finnish and Swedish safety investigation authorities on 16.11.2021 an intermediate summary was made of the preliminary assessment of the wreck of MV Estonia and the surrounding seabed.

ADCP Reports

10.01.2022

ADCP measurements for the collection of data on current profiles and salinity and oxygen content in the demersal zone in the area of the wreck of the ferry Estonia (July–November 2021 and December 2021 - March 2022).

Seawater Turbidity Survey Final Report

04.05.2022

The objective of this survey was to collect data on seawater turbidity and other environmental parameters both prior to the start of and during primary marine surveys. The measurements were conducted from 13 April to 1 June 2022, which also included the preliminary laser scanning survey period (23…

Estonian Safety Investigation Bureau to commence main surveys of the wreck of MS Estonia next week

12.05.2022

3D laser scanning survey of the wreck of MS Estonia is scheduled to start on 22 May, with the surveys planned to last approximately 4 to 5 days, depending on the weather and underwater visibility conditions. To conduct the 3D laser scanning surveys of the wreck of MS Estonia, the ESIB organised a…

Video: Rene Arikas gives an overview of the preparations for the 3D laser scanning surveys

22.05.2022

Rene Arikas, Executive Director of Estonian Safety Investigation Bureau, gives an overview of the preparations for the 3D laser scanning surveys on the research vessel VOS Sweet.

3D laser scanning survey of the wreck of MV Estonia started today

23.05.2022

The aim of the 3D laser scanning survey is to create a point cloud of the wreck of MV Estonia and the landforms in the immediate vicinity of the wreck, which will later be used to create a 3D model of the ship. In addition to the wreck and its surrounding landforms, high-tech equipment is used to…

Video: Rene Arikas gives an overview of 3D laser scanning surveys 28.05.2022

28.05.2022

Rene Arikas, Executive Director of Estonian Safety Investigation Bureau, gives an overview of the 3D laser scanning surveys of the wreck of Estonia 28.05.2022.

Video: Jonas Bäckstrand: photogrammetry survey preparations

08.06.2022

Jonas Bäckstrand, Deputy Director General (SHK) gives an overview of the preparations of the photogrammetry survey.

Photos and videos of photogrammetry survey

14.06.2022

The aim of the photgrammetry survey is to photographically document the ship with photogrammetry.

Video: Rene Arikas gives an overview of photogrammetry surveys

18.06.2022

Rene Arikas, Executive Director of the Estonian Safety Investigation Bureau, gives an overview of the photogrammetry surveys 17.06.2022.

Parvlaeva Estonia kolmemõõtmeline digitaalne mudel

First interactive models of MV Estonia have been published

28.07.2022

The Estonian Safety Investigation Bureau published the subsection of models on the website of the preliminary assessment of MV Estonia, where information about the first two physical models and two interactive digital models is provided.

MV Estonia Preliminary Assessment: Intermediate Report

22.01.2023

The intermediate report on the preliminary assessment of MV Estonia was presented by Estonian, Swedish and Finnish safety investigation authorities on January 23, 2023.

23.01.2023 Press briefing recording

25.01.2023

Preliminary Assessment of MV Estonia: presentation of intermediate report by Estonian, Swedish and Finnish Safety Investigation Authorities Date: January 23.2023 Time: 11.00 Location: Tallinn Maritime Museum / Seaplane Harbor

Estonian, Swedish and Finnish safety investigation authorities agreed upon lifting the bow ramp and filming the car deck of MV Estonia

19.04.2023

Representatives of the Estonian (OJK), Swedish (SHK) and Finnish (SIAF) safety investigation authorities met in Helsinki on April 19th to continue planning the next surveys of MV Estonia. As stated in the January 2023 press conference, the SHK launched a public procurement for carrying out marine…

Marine works at the wreck site of MV Estonia to begin July 19th

12.07.2023

Estonian Safety Investigation Bureau (OJK) and Swedish Accident Investigation Authority (SHK), facilitated by Finnish authorities, will be conducting marine surveys at the wreck site of MV Estonia, starting on July 19th. The planned activities include acquisition of different samples, survey of the…

International survey team to start marine works at the wreck site of MV Estonia

18.07.2023

Today, July 18th 2023 at 13.00 (14.00 Estonian time) the research vessel Viking Reach with an international survey team onboard departed Karlskrona harbor in Sweden, in order to arrive at the wreck site of MV Estonia tomorrow, July 19th and begin marine works.

2023 July marine works photos and videos (Photographer Dmitri Fedotkin, ERR)

21.07.2023

The marine works will be performed by the Swedish Accident Investigation Authority (SHK) and the Estonian Safety Investigation Bureau (OJK), facilitated by Finnish authorities in co-operation with the Norwegian company Reach Subsea as the main contractor.

Marine works by international survey team at the wreck site of MV Estonia concluded

25.07.2023

The bow ramp of MV Estonia was recovered from the seabed early in the morning today, July 25th. The bow ramp will be brought to Paldiski South Harbour, Estonia.

Numerical Assessment of Bottom Contact of MV Estonia published

21.09.2023

The report of the numerical assessment of bottom contact of MV Estonia was presented by the research study lead, Tallinn University of Technology, on September 21, 2023.

High resolution seabed imaging survey at the wreck site of MV Estonia successfully completed

30.11.2023

Estonian Safety Investigation Bureau (OJK) and Swedish Accident Investigation Authority (SHK), facilitated by Finnish authorities have successfully completed a high-resolution seabed imaging survey at the wreck site of MV Estonia.

MV Estonia Preliminary Assessment 2023: Commissioned Reports (update: 26.03.2024)

26.03.2024

For the purposes of the preliminary assessment of MV Estonia, several studies were commissioned in 2023. The reports of the studies are made available to the public. These reports give an overview of the analyses of the various samples recovered from the wreck and seabed during the marine works in…

ROV video survey on the sinking track of MV Estonia completed

08.07.2024

Estonian Safety Investigation Bureau (OJK), facilitated by the Estonian State Fleet, the European Maritime Safety Agency and Finnish authorities, completed a ROV video survey on the sinking track of MV Estonia.

Reports: high-resolution seabed imaging survey and ROV video survey at the wreck site of MV Estonia

04.09.2024

Published reports: high-resolution seabed imaging survey completed in November 2023 and ROV video survey completed in July 2024 at the wreck site of MV Estonia.

MV ESTONIA Preliminary Assessment: Damage on Starboard Side Originates from Contact with Seabed

15.12.2025

The Estonian Safety Investigation Bureau (OJK), the Swedish Accident Investigation Authority (SHK) and the Safety Investigation Authority, Finland (OTKES) have released a Final Report of the Preliminary Assessment (PA) concluding that there is no need to reopen the 1997 Joint Accident Investigation…

Final Report of the Preliminary assessment of MV ESTONIA

16.12.2025

The Estonian Safety Investigation Bureau (OJK), the Swedish Accident Investigation Authority (SHK) and the Safety Investigation Authority, Finland (OTKES) have released a Final Report of the Preliminary Assessment (PA) of MV ESTONIA on December 16, 2025.