Representatives of Memento Mare Raivo Hellerma, Carl Eric Laantee Reintamm and Sigrid Tammes, and staff members of Estonian Safety Investigation Bureau attended the meeting. Survivors and relatives of victims will have the opportunity to send one representative as an observer to the marine surveys to be conducted.
First, a 3D laser scanning survey is carried our as part of the main surveys, with the aim of creating a point cloud of the wreck and the landforms in the immediate vicinity of the wreck to obtain detailed information about the wreck and the surrounding landforms. In addition to surveying the wreck from the outside, the car deck will also be surveyed from the inside. The 3D laser scanning survey will take 4-5 working days.
Next, a photogrammetric survey will be conducted in the beginning of June which is expected to take approximately two weeks. Both the 3D laser scanning survey and the photogrammetric survey will be carried out on VOS Sweet, a research vessel flying the Dutch flag.
Third, a ferromagnetic survey will be carried out in the second half of June with the objective of identifying the metal objects present near the wreck and sinking route. It is hoped that fragments of the bow visor lock can be recovered from the seabed to determine when the bow visor lock may have broken. In addition, it is hoped that the bolt of the Atlantic lock can also be recovered.
The fourth survey is connected to the findings of the preliminary assessment, including identifying why the bow ramp of the vessel had separated. If necessary, the bow ramp will be lifted from the seabed to carry out more detailed surveys.
The representatives of Memento Mare were also notified of the forthcoming individual interviews with the surviving crew members and passengers of M/S Estonia. Additionally, interviews are also planned to be conducted with these crew members of the M/S Estonia who were not on duty on the night of the disaster. Any information shared will be kept anonymous upon request.
A new detailed model of M/S Estonia will be completed by the end of May, which will be installed on universal joints to allow for changes in the list and trim of the vessel to be simulated. A digital model or “digital twin” of the vessel will be completed by next winter.
Head of Research Rene Arikas also announced that, in addition to the 3 million euros allocated for research, an additional amount of 1 million euros will be requested from the Government of the Republic as the scope of the work has increased substantially and prices have surged significantly compared with last year, as a result of which it is not possible to perform the procurement within the planned budget.