Trip to 1994 Baltic Sea ferry disaster backs earlier report

By JARI TANNER
Associated Press

HELSINKI (AP) — The Estonian and Swedish accident investigation boards say a research expedition earlier this year to the wreck of a ferry that sank in the Baltic Sea 27 years ago hasn’t provided new evidence contradicting the official accident investigation report. The M/S Estonia sank in rough weather on Sept. 28, 1994, killing 852 people. Investigators presenting preliminary results from a July dive said Tuesday that the wreckage has a huge hole but they think it was caused by rocks on the seabed. The fate of the vessel has sparked several conspiracy theories. A 1997 investigation concluded the vessel was flooded and sank when its bow door locks failed.