'I can very well understand that persons from the 'Estonia' are first declared dead and later are found to have survived, but it is very difficult to understand the opposite event, thus that persons are first, during the first five days, declared to have been rescued (and alive) and thereafter are declared to be dead without finding the bodies.
Sven Anér - 6 June 2001
'U.S. enforced
disappearances from Sweden are nothing new, according to
Swedish journalist Sven Anér. More than 10 years ago,
on Sept. 28, 1994, nine Estonian survivors from the Estonia
ferry disaster "disappeared" in a similar manner.
The day after the sinking, 9 crew members were removed from
the lists of 146 reported survivors as a Gulfstream 4 (Reg.
N971L), and a Boeing 727-200 (Reg. VR-CLM), left Stockholm's
Arlanda airport carrying 4 and 5 unregistered passengers
each. Anér has the documents from the airport's
archive that show that the fees for the two airplanes were
paid by the U.S. Embassy in Stockholm.
Among those who disappeared after having been on the
survivor lists from Estonia were one of captains, Avo Piht,
and the ship's chief engineer, Lembit Leiger. Piht and
Leiger would be key witnesses as to the ship's
seaworthiness, its cargo, and causes of its mysterious
sinking, which took 852 lives.'
Christopher Bollyn - American Free Press - January 2005
'Along with Piht and Leiger, there are at least seven other "disappeared" crew members, whose names remained on survivor lists for days: The ship's doctor, Dr. Viktor Bogdanov, Kalev Vahtras, Kaimar Kikas, Agur Targama, Tiina Müür, and the twin sisters, Hannely and Hanka-Hannika Veide.'
VII Proposals to the Government of the Republic
1. Propose to the Government of the Republic to ensure the complete involvement of the Republic of Estonia in current and future investigations of the ferry Estonia. The Government of the Republic must find ways to ensure complete cooperation with the Government and agencies of the Kingdom of Sweden, in order to ensure access to all relevant materials and information.
2. Propose to the Government of the Republic to create necessary legal mechanisms for investigating into catastrophes so that a Catastrophe Committee could be founded, whose members would be able to carry out investigation, when necessary, on temporary full-time basis.
3. Proceeding from the fact that several persons who allegedly survived the catastrophe of the ferry Estonia are still missing, and taking into account the fact that they might have important information concerning the ferry Estonia.'
Riigikogu Committee of Investigation to Ascertain the Circumstances Related to the Export of Military Equipment from the Territory of the Republic of Estonia on the Ferry Estonia in 1994 - FINAL REPORT - (Tallinn, 19 December 2006)
1.46 The un-dead Estonians 
One of the more sad and shocking incidents during the investigation of the 'Estonia' accident is that relatives and friends of (at least) eleven lost Estonian crewmembers think that they survived.
The eleven (at least) are:
Name
Function
Avo Piht
Tina Müür
Lembit Leiger
Viktor Bogdanov
Kaimar Kikas
Merit Kikas
Agur Targama
Hannely (Anne) Veide
Hanka-Hannika Veide
Ago Tomingas
Kahlev Vatrasmaster (born 1954)
tax free sales person (born 621021)
chief engineer
ship's doctor
4th officer
wife
4th engineer, fitter
entertainer
dancer
shop assistant
store keeper
The matter is not mentioned in the Final Report (5), but is public knowledge, discussed and published in Estonia, where the disappeared or missing persons are considered un-dead. This writer believes that all eleven above persons were rescued by helicopter Y 64 or by the 'Mariella' or the 'Silja Europe' 1.41.
There are a number of official lists of passengers dated 28 September with about 80 survivors, 29 September 06.00 hrs am with 146 (sic) survivors, 29 September pm with 1 049 names of presumed dead and 170 (!) survivors and 30 September with 1 023 names of presumed dead and including 146 (sic) survivors and 7 October with 137 survivors, from the Estonian Ministry of Internal Affairs, where several of above listed persons are shown as having survived.
The eleven Estonians were rescued by Swedish helicopers and by M/S Mariella from the sea. The helicopeters brought them to Huddinge hospital. A Swedish police helicopter was sent to M/S Mariella to pick up three Estonians that were also flown to Huddinge hospital. The Estonians managed to contact the Estonia embassy at Stockholm that sent a person to the hospital to assist, but when this person arrived at the hospital he was simply turned away. There were no Estonians at the hospital!
Avo Piht, a master mariner of Estline, is the most well-known un-dead crew member and was announced a survivor several times!
Other crew members like Kalev Vahtras (born 510325), store keeper, and Tiit Meos, musician, were listed as having survived on some lists but were later announced 'found dead' earlier (found drowned on 28 September but not identified), as follows:
* full date of birth shown in the list, + year of birth shown in the list.
Name/List
28 September
29 September am
30 September
7 October
Avo Piht
survived+
survived
Ok?
Ok
no
Tina Müür
survived*
survived
Ok?
Ok
no
Lembit Leiger
(note 1)
-
Ok?
Ok
no (note 2)
Viktor Bogdanov
-
-
no
no
no
Kaimar Kikas
-
-
no
no
no
Merit Kikas
-
-
no
no
no
Agur Targama
-
-
no
no
no
Hannely Veide
(note 1)
survived ?
Ok?
Ok
no
Hanka-H Veide
(note 1)
survived ?
Ok?
Ok
no
Ago Tomingas
(note 1)
survived
Ok?
Ok
no
Kalev Vahtras
survived*
survived
Ok
Ok
no
Tiit Meos
(note 1)
survived
Ok?
Ok
no
Note 1- reported as survived on 28
September - see list 14 below.
Note 2 - reported as survived on 5 October - see lists 8 and
9 below.
These lists, originating from the Commission, ministries, Estline, Swedish and Finnish police and hospitals, have evidently contributed to the belief that many Estonian crewmembers, declared dead, survived. It seems quite clear that at least 146 (probably more) persons were in fact rescued on 28 September 1994 as recorded 29 and 30 September and that at least 8 names were deleted for various reasons (and some real survivors added that had been missed in the confusion), so that the total later became 138 of which one died in hospital - thus officially 137 survived as stated on 7 October.
The alleged death of Kalev Vahtras is a mystery. He was listed as alive with his correct birth date on the first list and was then confirmed alive on several lists until 30 September - in October it was announced that he had been found drowned already on 28 September (sic) and that an autopsy had been carried out (drowned) and identified him. But how could he have given his birth date on 28 September and why wasn't he confirmed dead on so many lists (see below)? How could somebody have declared Kalev Vahtras alive - if he was dead?
That store keeper Kalev Vahtras (b. 1951) got out and into a life raft has been confirmed by his friend the galley assistant Peter Palgunov (b. 1946) who survived and shared life raft "R" with him. Palgunov was rescued by one helicopter, OH-HVG, and brought to "Silja Symphony". Maybe Vahtras was rescued earlier by helicopter Q91 and brought to Utö? In (28) Vahtra's wife Ruth suggests that Kalev was rescued by the same helicopter as Avo Piht (it must then have been Y 64) ! Kalev knew Piht since a long time. Ruth Vahtras and Kalev's brother were later shown a photo of Kalev taken by the Finnish police - apparently taken before the autopsy - and they suggest that there is no evidence of drowning. Ruth has told media that the body returned to her after the autopsy/identification is not her husband - nobody reacts. Is Vahtras really dead?
In an interview of Silver Linde 2001 by German journalist Jutta Rabe Linde, a survivor, stated that he had shared the same room as Kalev Vahtras at the hospital at Turku! Later Vahtras should have been transferred to another hospital - and disappeared! Jutta Rabe has on 22 February 2002 told the Finnish police that she thinks that Kalev Vahtras was murdered! See her home page http://www.balticstorm.com. Jutta Rabe has in fact proposed to the Finnish police in February 2002 that Kalev Vahtras was murdered in Finland 1994 after the accident! The Finnish police is 2002 not interested.
Many Reasons for more Survivors
There are other reasons to believe that several crewmembers survived. The final report (5) chapter 7.6.1 states that 138 persons were rescued and brought to hospitals and that one rescued person then died in hospital, but there is no evidence for anything. Furthermore that 94 dead bodies had been identified - 92 were picked up from the sea just after the accident, one body was found on 17.10.1994 and another one on 11.5.1996. This is reiterated in chapter 8.9 - one died in hospital, 92 bodies were found in the water and two bodies were picked up later. But there are no details in the final Report (5) - lists of survivors and victims, who rescued who, etc. because the Commission was apparently told not to investigate the matter.
The 'Silja Europa', the 'Mariella', the 'Isabella' and the 'Tursas' allegedly rescued 34 persons from the sea 1.20 but we know that that figure is incorrect (see below). The Final report chapter 7.5.4 states that helicopters rescued 104 persons and found 92 bodies 1.41. The final list of the 137 survivors is (act G42) dated 12 September 1995 - 43 crew members and 94 passengers. The final (sic) list of bodies recovered - including the rescued person that died? - is (also act G42) dated 23 May 1996, which is stated to include 37 crew and 58 passengers, total 95 persons, but there are only 57 names of passengers in the list, thus 94 persons. It could in fact be the 92 bodies found 28 September, one body found 17 October and the rescued person that died in hospital: the body picked up on 11 May 1996 may not have been included.
Supplement 604 dated 16 January 1996 states that 93 autopsies were done in Finland - of the 92 bodies found 28 September and the one body found 17 October. It furthermore states that 94 victims were identified - probably the 93 autopsies and the person (a male passenger) that died in the hospital (on which no autopsy was done in Finland as the person died in Sweden). But then it goes on to say that only 56 passengers and 37 crew victims - total 93 victims - were identified. There are no names in Supplement 604.
Two extra Survivors in Finland
The Final report (5) states clearly that in the morning of 28 September 61 survivors had been brought to various hospitals in Finland, but according to a report of the Swedish Board of Social Affairs (35) there were 63 survivors at Finnish hospitals at that time, i.e. two extra persons - Piht and Vahtras?
Everywhere you look, the numbers do not add up - one, two or more persons are rescued, one, two or more dead victims are found and/or identified, etc. This opens up the awful possibility that certain crew members were in fact made to disappear or were killed - murdered - after having been rescued in order to prevent them from telling the Truth. We know 1.9 now that the Final report (5) lies about the cause of accident and sequence of events before and after the accident. Can we trust the Final report about the number of survivors? This writer does not any longer. That is why this chapter has been added to the book. The original purpose was otherwise to improve safety at sea; not to get involved in a criminal mystery.
A letter to Swedish Prime minister Göran Persson September 1996
September 1996 seven Estonian women wrote a letter to Göran Persson, Swedish prime minister after Ingvar Carlsson and Carl Bildt. It was received 30 September 1996 and handed over to the Swedish Ministry of Communications and registered 1 October with Dnr. K96/3359/2. The seven women were Sirje Piht (wife of Avo Piht), Kairi Lembit (wife of Lembit Leiger), Illu Erma (wife of Viktor Bogdanov), Aino Veide (mother of Hannely and Hanka-Hannika Veide), Merle Pajula (life companion of Agur Tormagas), Viive Kikas (mother of Kaimar Kikas) and Urve Beek (mother of Tiina Müür). They simply informed that they were convinced that their eight relatives had not died! 17 October 1996 the Ministry replied (Dnr. K96/3559/2) that it had asked Swedish Police to look into the matter. They never got a reply. And Göran Persson never informed the JAIC about it so the matter was not mentioned in the Final report (5) and never tried to pursue the matter.
Two mysterious airplanes at Arlanda airport (Stockholm) 27/29 September 1994
At 19.41 hrs 27 September 1994 an empty Boeing 727, VRCLM, landed at Arlanda (i.e. before the departure of M/S Estonia from Tallinn). It departed at 20.54 hrs 28 September to Amsterdam with four passenger and no cargo. It is assumed that this plane should have carried the contraband from M/S Estonia but was used to get rid of some witnesses of the incident.
At 22.56 hrs 28 September 1994 an empty Gulfstream 4, N9971L, landed at Arlanda and departed next day at 17.13 hrs to Bangor, Maine, USA, with five passengers. It is assumed that this plane was chartered to carry away the extra, not welcome Estonia survivors still in Sweden to prevent them from talking.
It is possible that the first plane carried Hannely and Hanka-Hannika Veide, Agur Tormagas and Kaimar Kikas, held at Huddinge hospital, out of the country. The second plane should have carried Piht, Bogdanov, Lembit, Müür and Ago Tomingas the next day to the USA after Piht had returned from Turku and his meeting with the three prime ministers.
It means that three Swedish prime ministers assisted in the cover-up of the Estonia incident, incl. the kidnapping of nine Estonian crew members.
Avo Piht
The wife Sirje Piht of captain Avo Piht was informed about the accident at 05.30 hrs in the morning of 28 September 1994 and was later told via radio Kuku (an Estonian radio station) at 11.30 hrs that her husband had been rescued - and was alive. Several persons called about the good news and the son came home and informed the same thing - he had also heard the radio. Did the radio send false information? All these persons listened to the radio and the radio broadcasted some good news - Avo Piht had survived! From where did the information originate? Probably Huddinge hospital in Sweden! A curious journalist should try to find it out.
At 14.30 hrs captain Erich Moik, an old family friend, called Sirje Piht from Rostock and said that several crew members had seen Avo Piht on German TV in a reportage from Utö (sic - could have been Mariehamn), where Piht and other survivors had landed from helicopters to be sent on to Turku. Another witness, Heinrich Tann, has also stated that he saw the TV reportage with Piht. The German film of the TV reportage has later disappeared. A paramedic at Utö has informed that he talked to Piht, who had said that he was the extra master on the 'Estonia'. The Estonian prime minister Mart Laar later tried to meet with Piht at Turku. A nurse at the hospital at Turku (33) told survivor RS 2.12 that Piht was in the hospital.
For three days Sirje Piht was convinced that her husband had survived. Then the original message changed - that he was missing. But Sirje Piht evidently believes that her husband is alive. Who has ever heard about somebody being rescued by name and rank and later being reported as missing?
In September 1996 Sirje Piht inquired at the Swedish government if it had any information about her husband and six other missing Estonians. Many months later the Swedish government (Ines Uusmann) replied that 'no evidence what so ever has been found that any of these people survived' in spite of the fact that the Swedish government were sitting on secret lists where they were listed as rescued.
How Piht and Vahtras survived - and disappeared
The writer believes that Piht and Vahtras were rescued by helicopter Y 64 and brought to Huddinge hospital, Sweden, and only later landed at Mariehamn (or Utö), where Piht was seen, on way to Turku. At Turku, when and where the Estonian, Finnish and Swedish prime ministers met, both men disappeared.
Tiina Müür
Tiina Müür (b. 1962) was shop keeper onboard and was listed several times as a survivor 28-30 September. It is very likely that she was rescued to the 'Mariella' and brought to Sweden. But then she disappeared completely. Not even her body was recovered. She was finally listed as missing by the Finnish authorities (which were responsible for that matter) but no body has been found.
Ago Tomingas and Tiit Meos
Ago Tomingas (b. 1956) was shop assistant onboard, worked probably with Tiina Müür, and was also listed several times as a survivor 28-30 September. But later he was announced as 'missing'. Tiit Meos (b. 1969) was similarly listed as a survivor (see e.g. list 14 below right) but later it was announced that his dead body had been found.
Lembit Leiger
Captain Erich Moik is certain that Piht and Leiger were rescued: (You can read the full interview in Swedish translation from Estonian here)
The Owners of the 'Estonia' can hide Captain Piht (Eesti Päevaleht 990917)
Enno Tammer (T) talks to captain Erich Moik (M)
...
(T) You are an experienced seaman - how probable do you consider the three official causes of the accident of the JAIC: design fault, heavy weather and high speed?
(M) ... In what order to consider them ... I cannot say ... but there may have been a fourth ...
(T) Exactly, I am trying to convince the JAIC that there was a fourth cause.
(M) Yes, there may be a fourth. I cannot prove it today, but I recall that also the Germans from the shipyard always have pointed at the technical maintenance of the ship.
(T) Which is the responsibility of the owners. ... in the case of the 'Estonia'?
(M) To be clear it was mainly Nordström & Thulin'. Why do I think about the technical maintenance ... ? You see, the questions start with two persons. They are captain Avo Piht and chief engineer Lembit Leiger. I put the question: For whom was it necessary that these two persons must disappear?
(T) If you put such a question, then you assume that they were rescued.
(M) I am 101% convinced that Piht was rescued. I am also 101% certain that Leiger was at the Huddinge hospital at Stockholm. There are too many indirect signs confirming this conviction. So I am convinced that these two men were rescued.
(T) But it was necessary to remove them, as they knew too much?
(M) There were two pairs - captain Arvo Andresson and chief engineer Harli Moosaar, and captain Piht and chief engineer Lembit Leiger. Chief engineer Moosaar was a very nice person, but when I compare him with the other chief engineers, he was down on the list. He was very humble, did not try to solve the problems and did not try to fight. With him everything was superficial - the main thing was that it looked nice and proper. With captain Andresson you can say he carried a certain style from the Soviet time. Then the master was on the bridge as a representative figure, while the real commanders were the party and security bosses aboard. The Swedes were not afraid of Andresson and Moosaar. But both Leiger and Piht, as actually happened, were in big conflicts with the Swedes.
(T) Due to the ship not being in technical good condition?
(M) Exactly, technical questions. The owners were not interested in the maintenance! Yes, Nordström & Thulin stopped the work and the ship could not be maintained as demanded by the top officers. Both Piht and Leiger were very much aware of the actual condition of the ship, how the technical maintenance was done and how demand for maintenance was fulfilled. The owners for certain could have been afraid, as these men could tell things causing big trouble, particularly about the insurance.
(T) And they removed the men?
(M) Yes, they simply removed them.
(T) And this after that they had been rescued and come ashore?
(M) Yes! I have once told Andi Meister that the repair manager at the shipyard at Turku, Eric Mörd, admitted to me that Piht had been rescued. Mörd and I were together on the bridge (on the 'Diana 2' at Rostock the morning of the accident). I knew that Piht was on the list of rescued persons. Mörd told me that his wife was a doctor, that she had been awoken at the night and that she saw that Piht had been rescued, that Piht was put in a car and driven somewhere. She thought it was to Helsinki. Also, not only Mörd told me, but another person. The other person was called to the police at Turku. His wife was working on the 'Estonia' so he thought it concerned identification or so. But immediately when he came to the police at Turku, the police had only one question: from where did you get the information about Piht? The police at Turku was not interested in anything else. So there were two persons hearing Mr Mörd saying that Piht had been rescued.
(T) But Mr Mörd?
(M) He came aboard the ship (the 'Diana 2') at Turku three weeks later, he was slimmer and ... looked different. I took him aside and asked: Where is captain Piht? He: I do not know. I: But you said ... He: No, I have never said anything. He denied everything.
(T) You were at Rostock the day the 'Estonia' had sunk and your crewmembers saw Piht on (German) TV.
(M) Yes, and I believe them. It is impossible that they saw wrong. They followed the news very carefully as two crew members had their wives on the 'Estonia' and two others had good friends and colleagues on the 'Estonia'. They could not possibly have seen wrong, they knew captain Piht very well.
(T) The responsibility of the owners of the 'Estonia' is anyway a subject, which has ended up in the shadow of other questions.
(M) Correct and it is probably intentional. But I assume that the whole thing is agreed, a compromise.
...
(T) What you know Piht and Leiger quarrelled with the Swedes, as they demanded more attention to the maintenance of the ship?
(M) Yes, as far as I know today, it was technical problems behind the accident. There was a list of outstanding repair work and some work was cancelled.
(T) Due to lack of money?
(M) Due to lack of money, no need and so on.
...
(T) Your accusation of Nordström & Thulin is very severe, that it is they who removed Piht and Leiger and hide ...
(M) It is not an accusation, it is an assumption. It is one of the possible versions. Nobody else had to do it.
(T) What was the purpose of the owners of the 'Estonia' - to collect the insurance?
(M) It is a big amount. If the underwriters had known that the condition of the ship was not good, then the money would not have been paid ...
(T) If your assumption is correct, it is an international crime. And apart from Piht and Leiger there is a suspicion that another six persons were saved.
(M) The others I cannot connect to Piht and Leiger.
(T) Your assumption means a very clever kidnapping.
(M) ... It is very simple to see if Leigar was rescued ... look in his cabin ...
...
(T) You are very angry with the Swedes, you complain all the time about the owners of the 'Estonia'.
(M) Listen; at the morning after the loss of the 'Estonia' I was on the bridge of the 'Diana 2' at Rostock. We were three men. During the night I had heard about the disaster. At the bridge was apart from me, repair manager Mörd from the ship repair yard at Turku and the owners superintendent Ulf Hobro 4.5 from Nordström & Thulin, i.e. the person who was looking after and responsible for the maintenance. There was a mobile phone on the bridge and I called my wife at Tallinn. She read the names of the ten first rescued persons for me. There were three persons I knew - captain Piht, shop manager Tiina Müür and 2nd engineer Peeter Tüür. My first natural reaction was and which I could not hide was thanks God, at least one master rescued. And you should have seen the reaction of the superintendent ... He went pale and started to repeat, no, no, the master must be isolated from the journalists. He then called somebody direct and explained something in Swedish. I was surprised, it is something about their manner ... what to say ... ?
(T) To hide?
(M) Yes, to hide. To avoid that somebody should know more. So I do not exclude that Nordström & Thulin played a role in the hiding of Piht and Leiger ...
(T) Then the Swedish government must be aware of it?
(M) But the state does not look after private companies.
...
(T) It cannot be excluded that key persons like Piht and Leiger are alive. And then is the question how long will they be kept hidden.
(M) There is a possibility that they are alive. ... I do not doubt that Piht and Leiger were rescued.
...
After (or before?) such a frank interview captain Moik was dismissed from Estline.
15 Lists of Survivors
The Swedish journalist Sven Anér considers that Piht and others, including Tiina Müür and Ago Tomingas, must have survived:
15 lists with survivors, or ...
The Swedish journalist Sven Anér has found 15 lists with names of survivors - that didn't survive.
List 1. Date 29.9.1994 kl 0600. List received from Baltic News Service, BNS. The attached page names: Tiina Müür, Avo Piht, Ago Tomingas, Hannely Veide, Hannika Veide
List 2. The list of Estline, received from Radio Kuku at Tallinn. No certain date. The attached page names: Avo Piht, Ago Tomingas.
List 3. Send by the Estonian Ministry of the Interior on 28.9.1994 at 17.22 hrs to Radio Kuku. The attached pages names: Ulo Kikas, Tiit Meos, Tiina Müür, Avo Piht, Anne Veide.
List 4. Received from BNS that calls it the 'Final list", date 30.9.1994 at 16.42 hrs. The attached page names: Lembit Leiger.
List 5. Received from av BNS. The list of the Estonian Ministry of the Interior dated 29.9.1994 at 17.59 hrs. The attached page names: Avo Piht.
List 6. Sent from the Swedish embassy at 28-29.9.1994 to the Swedish Foreign office, UD. The list is based on the reports of the police at Turku, Finland, to the Swedish police; see also lists nos. 14 and 15 below. The attached pages names: Lembit Leiger, Tiit Meos.
List 7. Received from BNS. It is the list of the Estonian government crisis commission dated 30.9.1994. The attached pages names:Lembit Leiger.
List 8. Received from BNS. Date 5.10.1994. Officiall Estonian list. The attached pages names Lembit Leiger, marked with an "j" = rescued.
List 9. From the Estonian Ministry of the Interior, date 5.10.1994. The attached page names: Lembit Leiger, marked with an "j" = rescued.
List 10. This list has been kept by the Swedish national police since 28.9.1994. On it is marked when and how often Estonian citizens were inquired about by the Swedish police. For Lembit Leiger 5 markes = yes, found.
List 11. From BNS, one of their first lists, dated 28.9.1994 at 13.25 hrs, with heading: "The first rescued persons known are:" The attached page (only one page) names: Avo Piht, Tiina Müür, Kalev Vahtras.
List 12. Possibly the absolute earliest list, dated 28.9.94 at 11.50 hrs. Sent from the Finnish embassy at Tallinn to the Port Authority at Tallinn and then to Radio Kuku at Tallinn. Handwritten are twelve names, among them: Tiina Müür, Kalev Vahtras, Avo Piht.
List 13. From the Finnish police to the Estonian crisis commission, probably a very early list. One page - none of the above 11 supposed survivors are listed.
List 14. This list, 3 pages, has been made by the police at Turku, Finland; date/reference "28.9.1994, kello 22.00", which sent it by fax to the Swedish national police, which in turn sent it to the Swedish embassy at Tallinn, which received the list with additional names had written on it. There are eight names hand written on the page: Lembit Leiger, Tiit Meos, Tiina Müür, Avo Piht, Ago Tomingas, Kalev Vahtras, Hannely Veide, Hanka Veide.
List 15. Page 3 of the previous document, list 14. The handwritten, difficult to read, names that can be read in a mirror, are not fully identical with the handwritten names on the right page of list 14. However the name "Piht, Avo" is very clear. The page is stamped by of official stamp of the Turku police and counter signed Veikko Koiranen, rikoskomisurie.
Comments: There are 11 persons on the 14 above lists registered as having suirvived: Bogdanov, Kikas, Leiger, Meos, Müür, Piht, Targama, Tomingas, Vahtras, Hannely Veide, Hanka Veide. Only on the Finnish police list, no. 13, are these names not listed.
Meos and Vahtras have been reported to be found dead, but I have no official confirmations.
According to the official list of the Helsinki police of March 1995 all eleven are listed as dead. According to all 15 above lists, except no. 13, all eleven were rescued.
All pages of all lists are total about 300, and I have copies of about 100 pages. Further reasearch is necessary to check all pages for a complete picture.
List 14 above was sent as found from the police at Turku to the Swedish national police HQ at Stockholm (or possibly to the local Stockholm police authority). Thereafter the list was sent from Stockholm to the Swedish embassy at Tallinn, which in turn added names in hand writing to the right of the typed list to the left. The result is a fairly complete list, which later was filed at the Swedish Foreign office at Stockholm. It contains eight of the eleven names! But this list was totally unknown for Swedish media and public until May, 2001, when PALME-nytt (the newsletter of Sven Anér) after four weeks of requests got it from the archive!
Correspondene 6 June 2001
Embassy of Finland, Stockholm.
Polis Authority at Turku. Commissaire Veikko Koiranen (or deputy)
The following documents are refered to:
A (List 12 above). According my info this list of survivors from the Estonia, dated 28.9 94 at 11.50 hrs, has been handed over by Mr. Eino Selirand of the Finnish embassy at Tallinn to the Port Authority of Tallinn.
B (List 11 above). According notes on the document this list has before 13.25 hrs on 28.9 94 been handed over by Mr Tönu Karu of the Tallinn City Hall to the Baltic News Service at Tallinn. The list names "The first rescued persons known are:"
Two names are on both lists:
Tiina Müür and Avo Piht.
Checking the Turku police lists of surviviors of the same day at 20.00 hrs, stamped and signed by Veikko Koiranen, these two names are missing.
My question is: How come that both names disappear during the day of the 28 september 1994, from the lists of the Turku police, in spite of the fact that they are listed on two earlier, official lists originating from the port of Tallinn, the Finnish embassy at Tallinn, the Tallin City Hall and the Baltic News Service?
These two persons, Müür and Piht, have not been found dead or drowned. What evidence that they had not survived did the Turku police receive on the 28 September 1994? Did the Turku police check with the port of Tallinn, the Finnish embassy at Tallinn, the Tallinn City Hall and the Baltic News Service and did you find that all four were mistaken?
I can very well understand that persons from the Estonia are first declared dead and later are found to have survived, but it is very difficult to understand the opposite event, thus that persons are first declared to have been rescued and thereafter are declared to be dead, without finding the bodies.
I look forward to a reply, friendly regards
Sven Anér
Anér never got a reply from Finland. Other relatives had similar experiences as Sirje Piht and Moik.
Viktor Bogdanov
Illu Erma, wife of Viktor Bogdanov, got a telephone call after the accident, where one survivor, the purser Andres Vihmare, said that Viktor had survived with him on the 'Mariella' 1.41. Erma and her daughters are certain that Viktor survived. Later Viktor Bogdanov was named as a survivor in a Swedish newspaper. He was finally listed as 'missing'. Victor Bogdanov apparently arrived at Huddinge hospital and met ...
Hannely and Hanka Veide
Ulo and Aino Veide, parents of the twins, are also convinced that the children survived. Aino has informed that one daughter phoned her after the accident (from the Huddinge hospital?) and that the call was interrupted. There were two more calls, which were interrupted. And on one list it is written that Anne Veide survived, i.e. the nickname few knew about. Other lists said that both were rescued. The sisters had only been aboard half a day and few knew the nickname. The variety show was just over, when the accident occurred - the sudden listing - so all artists were awake and ready to get out. Two artists survived, two were found drowned, and three, including the sisters Veide, are missing. Did helicopter Y 64 save them together with captain Piht?
Kaimar Kikas
The Independent Fact group has reported that the Fourth Officer Kaimar Kikas was also marked on some early lists of persons rescued and that he had had to state his name to get on the list. On 28.09.94 at 11.30 a.m. a news program of Estonian Radio 2 announced that the crewmember Kaimar Kikas was rescued. On 30.09.94 during the night arrived a fax from "Estline" to the Estonian Social Ministry with information that 'IV Navigation Officer Kaimar Kikas' was rescued. On 30.09.94 at 8.30 a.m. in the list of the Estonian Social Ministry Kaimar Kikas was marked being OK (not on the list this writer has a copy of). But Kikas never returned to Estonia. Was Kikas on the 'Silja Europe'? Or at Huddinge hospital? Rescued by Y 64?
On 30 October 1994, i.e. a month after the accident somebody phoned the Kikas family - the mother Viive Kikas and father Ülo Kikas - and told Viive that 'they are coming home', i.e. the son and his wife Merit.
Kikas was starting his watch at 01.00 hrs, but he was maybe called to the bridge earlier - there must have been some problems before the sudden listing - and maybe some crewmembers were alarmed to muster on the bridge before the listing occurred. As he was staying with the wife in the cabin, it is possible that he took her with him to the bridge. And maybe they were saved by the MoB-boat located just outside the bridge on the starboard side, which apparently was launched.
The Man over Board Boat
It is a fact that the starboard MoB-boat may have been launched, but the Commission has never bothered to examine the matter. The Commission was only interested to cover up all essential information. Persons in the water saw the lifeboat with the engine running. Maybe later a helicopter, Y 64?, rescued the persons in the boat. And they knew exactly what had happened on the bridge just before the accident. So they might have been told to keep a low profile for a while, until the investigation was over. Andi Meister thought that a complete Final Report could be issued in one or two months. The Finnish vessel MS Hylje picked up the empty MoB-boat 36 hours later about 35 miles straight East of the wreck. It was undamaged with some fuel in the tank for the engine. No helicopter is reported having sighted and/or inspected the MoB-boat during 28 September 1994; 2.25 and 3.18.
It is possible that the Commission informally has advised the above relatives that they were mistaken, etc. But today, 2001, when it is a fact that all the members of the Commission cannot be trusted after having written a completely false Final report (5), the writer believes above information should be reviewed.
It is very possible that some of the missing persons, e.g. Bogdanov and Leiger were in fact rescued and brought to the 'Mariella' 1.41. And probably they were given new identities and made to disappear! It is of course unbelievable - but what should a normal person believe?
A common held theory is, as related by Captain Moik above, that captain Piht and chief engineer Leiger survived and were alive, and that the other missing crew members were aware of this fact and/or knew that the ship sank for other reason than the visor, e.g. that a crew alarm about leakage of the hull was given long before the alleged story of the visor problems started.
Note that only Estonian crewmembers are assumed to be un-dead. And note that the Estonia star witnesses of the accident, Linde, Treu, Sillaste and Kadak, lied about what happened onboard 1.48. This combination - missing (murdered?) and lying crewmembers - is extremely disturbing. You get the impression that some crewmembers were forced to lie - and that, if they did not lie - they disappeared or were going to be killed.
And is there any evidence that the Master Arvo Andresson really drowned? The Master Andresson should have been one of the first to be informed about an alarm long before 01.00 hrs. Perhaps also Andresson was rescued and was the first to be hidden and later murdered - and then it was thought that a false accident investigation could be presented. But then nine or ten other surviving crewmembers appeared who knew that Andresson had been rescued. And they too must disappear (be murdered)!
Survivors - Rafts - Ferries - Helicopters
137 named survivors (they were 138 but one man died at hospital and was never questioned) and 12 Estonians that are assumed to also have survived are listed in Table 1. After the accident there were several lists where these 149 persons are named in different locations and you have to assume that they were actually rescued. The 149 persons managed in most cases to reach different rafts and lifeboats as per Table 2. More rafts than stated by the Commission were used. Various ferries and helicopters later rescued the survivors as per Table 3 and Table 4.
The 12 survivors that later disappeared are assumed to have been salvaged by the 'Mariella' (3 persons in raft "X") and by the Swedish helicopter Y 64 (9 persons in two rafts, "X1" och "X2") at around three o'clock in the morning.
Three un-dead Estonians on the 'Mariella'
The Commission/Final report (5) p 104 states that the 'Mariella' winched down four rafts, so that survivors in 'Estonia' rafts could jump into these and be hauled up and that 13 persons were rescued in this way. Three 'Estonia' rafts have been identified, "N", "O" och "Z" with 7 + 2 + 4 =13 persons being winched up in three 'Mariella' rafts. You should however assume that a fourth raft was in fact lowered by the 'Mariella', exactly as stated in the Final report, and that three persons from raft "X" were salvaged. Later 'Mariella' crewmembers managed to rescue two more weak persons from a fifth raft. The Final report (5) states that 'Mariella' rescued 15 persons from rafts in the sea, but Jörle-Hellberg (20 p 231) reported already 1996 that they were 18 (and that totally 140 were rescued). The three extra persons on the 'Mariella' are assumed to have been evacuated later to Huddinge hospital by police helicopter.
Eight un-dead Estonians rescued by Y 64
The Commission/Final report (5) pp 111-112 states that Swedish helicopter Y 64 started at 04.45 hrs and reached the accident area at 05.52 hrs and rescued one person. According to the media however Y 64 was already in the air at two o'clock and rescued 9 persons (one of whom should have died) from two rafts and that these survivors were brought to Huddinge hospital (outside Stockholm) already at 04.40 hrs. Captain Piht is supposed to have arrived at Huddinge and was later flown Mariehamn and Utö to Turku to assist in the accident investigation.
The information in tables 1-4 is collected by persons in Estonia, Finland, Germany and Sweden that are not satisfied with the contradictory descriptions and conclusions of the Commission and is published here for public knowledge.
Were they murdered?
It is quite amazing that the citizens of Estonia have allowed above to happen without further investigations. Evidently in 1994 Estonia was still suffering from 50 years of Soviet occupation and police state rule, but now we are in the year 2001, when Estonia has won the European popular television song contest and some normality has returned. To solve the mystery of the un-dead Estonians (probably murdered by Swedish and Finnish secret agents) young Estonians should really ask their government to re-open the full investigation of the Estonia sinking. It will really make Estonia part of Europe.
In Sweden (and Finland) the information about the un-dead Estonians are conveniently just swept under the carpet as - rumours. But the alleged rumours were spread long before the Final report (5) was published, when the story about the visor and the water on the car deck in the superstructure was still believable by a majority of concerned parties due to a clever disinformation campaign. Then the un-dead Estonians could be considered as 'rumours'. But now - when the Final report (5) is proven to be 100% disinformation and when it is a fact that the Swedish Royal Navy removed the visor from the 'Estonia' at the bottom of the sea after the accident - can we still consider the un-dead Estonians as 'rumours'? Evidently not! And the three Swedish prime ministers involved in their disappearances are still alive and should be questioned.
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