A decade ago, one of the worst maritime disasters in European history occurred. This disaster remains very prominent in the public imagination. Over 850 people were killed when a luxury ferry sank in the Baltic Sea on a stormy night. As part of his continuing coverage of anarchy on the high seas,reelsoso.com Our correspondent has distilled an account of Estonia's last moments from materials including unofficial reports and survivor testimony.

The ferry Estonia sank in the waves of a Baltic storm shortly after midnight on September 28, 1994. Estonia was a newly independent nation, recently emerging from the ruins of the Soviet Union, and their ship was their pride. A massive steel ship with nine decks and a length of 510 feet, it could accommodate 2,000 passengers. The resort had a casino, a casino room, a video arcade, a conference center, three restaurants, and three bars, plus a labyrinth of cabins. A car deck extended from the bow to the stern of the ship through the inside of the hull. There was an openable bow on the car deck in port that allowed vehicles to drive in and out. Normally that bow stays guarded at sea. Nevertheless, in this case, it did not-and indeed it caused the ship to capsize and sink when it came open in the storm and then fell off altogether.989 people were aboard the Estonia the night before it sank. At around 7:15 p.m., she departed Tallinn and set out on her regular route, crossing open waters for 258 miles and 15 hours to the Swedish archipelago and Stockholm. The storm moved through sheltered coastal waters for several hours as dusk turned to night. In the north, gray forested islands snuck by, and in the south, Estonia's long industrial shoreline morphed into a low cost darkening until it faded into the night. From the west, gentle swells rolled in, signaling the sea's unease. The crew, which had received storm warnings for the open ocean ahead, did not spread the information. Diverse forecasts agreed that an intense low-pressure system near Oslo was heading east quickly, and was expected to bring rain and strong winds along the route, sometimes causing waves to reach twenty feet. It was rare to find such conditions in the area, occurring only a few times every fall and winter, but they were not considered severe for ferries of this size. According to survivors, special attention was paid to lashing the trucks down securely on the car deck-an unusual behavior that, if it occurred, probably had more to do with concerns over vehicle damage claims than with safety concerns. Neither other preparation was made. Arriving in Stockholm on time was the main concern.