Swedes want checks for hull damage in 1994 ferry disaster

For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy Sweden said Friday it wants divers to inspect the wreck of one of Europe’s deadliest peacetime maritime disasters, the sinking of a ferry in the Baltic Sea in 1994 that killed 852 people, in order to probe claims of a large hole in the hull. Home Affairs Minister Mikael Damberg said Sweden's Accident Investigation Authority along with its counterparts in Finland and Estonia wanted to to send divers down to the wreck that lies on the Baltic seabed off Finland's southwest to investigate the damaged hull claims. Following the documentary's airing, Sweden, Finland and Estonia said they will jointly assess what that they described “new significant information” about the disaster, although they're relying on the conclusions of the 1997 report. Damberg said Swedish lawmakers would reject any attempt to repeal a law that supports Estonia's designation of the wreck site as a graveyard.