- Title: ESTONIA: MEMORIAL FOR FERRY DISASTER HELD IN ESTONIA CAPITAL
- Date: 28th September 2004
- Summary: SV (Estonian) ESTONIA'S PRESIDENT ARNOLD RUUTEL: "In deep grief I bow my head in memory of those people who died at Baltic Sea on that stormy night 10 years ago. My deepest sympathy to all family members and relatives." 0.36 SLV SOLDIERS LAYING FLOWERS/CLOSEUP FLOWERS (2 SHOTS) 0.43 SLV ARNOLD RUUTEL LAYING FLOWERS 0.56 CU OF FLOWERS 0.58 . SV
- Embargoed: 13th October 2004 13:00
- Keywords:
- Location: TALLINN, ESTONIA
- Country: Estonia
- Topics: Disasters
- Reuters ID: LVAE6YQT0S38EKU8F7QPNR2CX2KB
- Story Text: Memorial for ferry disaster held in Estonian capital.
Survivors and relatives of victims of the Estonia ferry disaster gathered at the Rannavarava monument in Tallinn on Tuesday to honour the memory of people who died in the biggest ever maritime accident at Baltic Sea.
The roll-on roll-off ferry en route from Tallinn, Estonia to Stockholm, capsized in rough seas off the Finnish coast early on September 28, 1994 with the loss of 852 lives.
The 13,600-tonne vessel rolled on its side in minutes.
When rescuers reached the scene, only 137 people were still alive in the icy water.
"In deep grief I bow my head in memory of those people who died at Baltic Sea on that stormy night 10 years ago.
My deepest sympathy to all family members and relatives,"
Estonia's President Arnold Ruutel said at the ceremony.
In a 230-page report released in 1997, an official commission of Estonian, Finnish and Swedish experts blamed faulty bow door locks, the intensity of the storm and human error.
Ten years on many still doubt the investigators conclusion. Sweden's parliament will soon debate whether to hold a new investigation into the sinking.
"Internally I am some way surprised how deep the hole is inside me and not only me and its difficult to believe that after ten years we have such strong feelings and we are still very involved in what happened ten years ago", said Raivo Hellerma, Director of Memento Mare Association, the support fund for victims families.
Hellerma lost his wife in the disaster. Dozens of passenger vess els sail in the Baltic Sea daily between ports in Sweden, Estonia, Finland, Russia, Denmark, Poland and Germany. They include small, fast catamarans and large ferries carrying as many as 2,000 passengers. However, very few have visor bow doors now.
Similar ceremonies were also held at Hiiumaa island, the cities of Parnu, Voru and other towns in Estonia. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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