MS Estonia

cruise ferry which sunk on 28 September 1994

The MS Estonia was a Finnish cruiseferry. It was built in 1980 for the Finnish company Rederi Ab Sally. The ferry was built by Meyer Werft, in Papenburg, West Germany. It was used on ferry routes between Finland and Sweden by several companies, It was first useed by Viking Line, then EffJohn. In 1993, it was sold to Nordström & Thulin for use on Estline's TallinnStockholm route. The ship sank on 28 September 1994. It wend down in the Baltic Sea between Sweden, Finland and Estonia. This was one of the worst maritime disasters during peacetime in the 20th century. 852 people died.

Scale model of MS Estonia
History
Name
  • 1980–1990: Viking Sally
  • 1990–1991: Silja Star
  • 1991–1993: Wasa King
  • 1993–1994: Estonia[1]
NamesakeEstonia (as Estonia)
Owner
Operator
Port of registry
Ordered11 September 1979
BuilderMeyer Werft, Papenburg, West Germany
Yard number590
Laid down18 October 1979
Launched26 April 1980
Completed27 April 1980
Acquired29 June 1980
In service5 July 1980
Identification
FateCapsized and sank on 28 September 1994
General characteristics
TypeCruiseferry
Tonnage
Length
  • 155.43 m (509 ft 11 in) (as built)
  • 157.02 m (515.16 ft) (1984 onwards)
Beam24.21 m (79 ft 5 in)
Draught5.60 m (18 ft 4 in)
Decks9
Ice class1 A
Installed power
  • 4 × MAN 8L40/45
  • 17,625 kW (23,636 hp) (combined)
Speed21.1 knots (39.1 km/h; 24.3 mph)
Capacity
  • 2,000 passengers
  • 1,190 passenger berths
  • 460 cars

The ship sank during a storm on the Baltic Sea. The closest ship to the Esonia when she made the SOS signal was the Silja Europa. While sinking the ship capsized and sunk. All of the passengers of MV Estonia died. No lifeboats were found. The sinking was said to be caused by flooding.

References

change
  1. "M/F Estonia". The ferry site. Retrieved 21 October 2021.
  2. 2.0 2.1 Final report on the capsizing on 28 September 1994 in the Baltic Sea of the Ro-Ro passenger vessel MN Estonia, Chapter 3: The vessel. The Joint Accident Investigation Commission of Estonia, Finland and Sweden, December 1997.

59°23′0″N 21°40′0″E / 59.38333°N 21.66667°E / 59.38333; 21.66667