The Hole: Another Look at the Sinking of the Estonia Ferry on September 28, 1994

In September 1994, the passenger ferry Estonia set out on an overnight cruise from Tallinn, Estonia to Stockholm, Sweden and sank in the Baltic Sea, killing nearly 1000 people in 35 minutes. It was the worst peacetime sea catastrophe in European waters in the 20th century. A controversial government investigation blamed the ship's design and high waves. But the Estonia was the only intact ship in maritime history to sink in less than one hour -- faster than some torpedoed ships. This disturbing fact is the core of the tragedy and was left unexplained. The victims still remain in the shipwreck in shallow depth just off the coast of Finland, a spot militarily guarded by Sweden. The Hole: Another look at the sinking of the Estonia ferry on September 28, 1994 examines alternative explanations in view of post-Soviet chaos, proceeding from the theory that the Estonia had a hole -- from a collision or an explosion.