Head of MS Estonia investigation: Estonia sank on collision with submarine - ERR
29 Sep 2020 EWR Online
Margus Kurm on ETV's "Pealtnägija". Source: ERR
Margus Kurm, former state prosecutor and head of the government's investigative committee looking into the sinking of ferry MS Estonia in 2005-2009, said in an interview with ETV's "Pealtnägija" that new scenes of the shipwreck show the ship most likely sank after a collision with a submarine.
You have seen these clips that have reached the media repeatedly and before anyone else. What was your first reaction and emotion seeing scenes of the dive?
The first reaction was shocking. Not because the hole (in the ship's hull - ed.) was visible but rather because it was discovered so simply.
Explain, what is the location of this hole and what is the meaning of it?
The meaning is [MS] Estonia did not sink because of a bow visor breaking, it was a collision with something large enough to create a four-meter long hole in the ship's hull.
This is an unbelievable twist!
It is not unbelievable in that sense. That there could be a hole on the ship has been mentioned in previous evidence and analyses. It is evidence for something that has long been speculated.
But a collision? With what?
Considering that the tear is below the water line and considering noone has ever mentioned that another ship could have sunk with Estonia and none of the survivors have said they saw a ship close to Estonia - the most likely cause is Estonia collided with a submarine.
That means there should be a damaged submarine somewhere?
Yes, it means there should be a damaged submarine somewhere. But I will specify a bit. If one says a collision with a submarine, the first thought is the submarine ran into Estonia from its side. It might not have been so simple. It was more likely a intrusion. That Estonia and a submarine went in the same direction. And we can not rule out that Estonia might have hit the submarine, grazed the submarine. The question is what was a submarine doing on Estonia's route.
