Were the watertight doors below the car deck closed?
ยท Why did the Estonia sink so fast? Question 1 – Was the Bow Ramp to the Car Deck ever open? According to the official report the bow ramp of the Estonia was ripped fully open by the visor, when it fell off at 01.15 hrs. Reportedly the ramp locks were ripped apart and it is assumed that the ramp then fell down on the car deck below it. Water could enter the car deck, so that the ship would heel, trim and increase its draft. Later during the accident – before or after the sinking is not known – it is suggested that the ramp closed. The reason for this is that the ramp was found closed on the wreck by a Remote Operated Vehicle, ROV, with a TV camera sent down to investigate the wreck early October 1994. According to e-mail to me from Tuomo Karppinen, VTT, Finland, on 6 May 1998 the accident investigators sent a written memo in November 1994 to the divers, which inspected the Estonia 2-4 December 1994, to confirm that the closed ramp had actually been open during the accident. The divers
