Filmmakers found guilty in Sweden over filming case of ferry 'Estonia'

By Leila Nezirevic

LONDON (AA) - Two Estonian filmmakers were found guilty regarding the filming of the ferry “Estonia” on Monday at a court in Gothenburg, Sweden.

Some 852 people died 28 years ago and 137 people survived the weather disaster that caused the ship to sink in what is considered one of the 20th century’s worst maritime disasters.

Judge Goran Lundahl said the court took into the consideration that the wreck “is a grave site for a large number of people.”

He also said “protecting the sanctity of the dead is more important than protecting freedom of expression and information.”

The court issued fines without mentioning the amount of money that they will need to pay out.

Journalist Henrik Evertsson and wreck expert Linus Andersson triggered a controversial legal case when they discovered a four-meter-high hole in the hull of the ferry Estonia after sending a diving robot down.

The discovery by the two men raised new questions about the reasons for the ferry’s sinking in 1994 as the damage to the starboard side of the ferry is greater than previously thought.

The original inquiry into the disaster concluded that it was caused by the natural disaster, however filmmakers were told by the experts that this is incorrect as only external factors would be able to cause the damage and the hole in the hull to such extent.

The team used the diving robot to examine the wreck during the filming in 2019.

This, however, led the two men to be charged for a violation of the special law on grave peace which was introduced after the Estonia disaster.

The two defendants were acquitted by the Gothenburg District Court at the beginning of last year, however courts have decided to reopen the trial.

Last time, the court decided that the Act on Grave Peace did not apply in their case, as the filmmakers used a German boat which was based in Germany which did not sign the so-called Estonian law.

However, Gothenburg appeals court decided to take the case back to the lower court for a retrial, as according to them, the “Estonia Law” should be applied as the two men are Swedish.

For over two decades, those who survived and relatives of the dead have been demanding for the full investigation to take place.

New studies are being carried out following the discovery by the filmmakers.