Survivor of Estonia Ferry Disaster Returns to Wreck Site to Observe Investigation
Almost 30 years ago, Urban Lambertsson, a Swedish man, found himself in the midst of a tragic event that would forever change his life. Sitting in a pub, watching a karaoke competition, Lambertsson heard shouts coming from Estonia. Little did he know that he would soon be caught up in one of the worst maritime disasters in history. Now, nearly three decades later, Lambertsson returns to the wreck as a representative of the survivors to observe the accident commission’s investigative work.
“We survivors need answers to the question of why it happened,” Lambertsson says, expressing his frustration with the seemingly slow progress of the investigation. “I don’t think they have come far enough in their investigative work, and to me, it is a mystery that it should take 30 years and we are still investigating the cause.”
The expedition to the wreck site will involve various tasks, including photographing the car tire and taking the car ramp to Estonia for a closer examination. Lambertsson believes that it is essential to make new attempts with modern tactics to finally answer the lingering questions about why the Estonia sank.
“In my world, we only learn from the accident when we have lifted all the stones,” Lambertsson explains, comparing the investigation to cleaning a deep wound. “If you put a wet blanket over the wound, it will be infected forever. But if we open it up and clean it properly, it will heal.”
Lambertsson emphasizes that the technical investigation serves as a crucial part of cleaning the wound, even though questions about guilt and responsibility may still remain unanswered.
“For me, it is an important piece of the puzzle, but it is not the whole puzzle,” he notes.
Recalling the harrowing night of the accident, Lambertsson reveals that he was on his way back to Sweden after a business trip in Estonia when the disaster struck. He managed to escape the sinking ship and find safety in a life raft in the freezing water. Five hours later, he was rescued, but tragically, he lost a colleague in the accident.
“The more the ship heeled, it was less about helping and more about saving yourself,” Lambertsson somberly recounts. “My colleague and I got separated, and unfortunately, he did not survive that night.”
Remarkably, Lambertsson admits that he does not remember feeling the pain from his injuries during the chaos of that fateful night.
“It’s something that happens to people when you end up in a fight for life,” he explains. “What’s amazing is that those kinds of feelings also get repressed. It was like going on autopilot.”
Reflecting on the aftermath of the disaster, Lambertsson describes it as a very tough period, riddled with broken promises from politicians and substandard government actions that left him and other survivors feeling neglected for a long time. Now, he sees his role in the current investigation as an opportunity to ensure that things are done right.
“We have the opportunity to ask our critical questions to increase credibility and also influence the investigative work,” Lambertsson concludes, hopeful that this investigation will bring long-awaited closure to the survivors and their families.