Door clue to ferry tragedy

A report yesterday blamed technical factors for the 1994 Estonia ferry disaster, in which 852 people died, but implied more could have been done by the crew and rescuers. The Estonia sank in rough seas off the Finnish coast on 27 September three years ago. It was Europe's worst maritime disaster since the Second World War. The report, by a three-nation commission, said the main factor behind the sinking was weak locking of the ferry's bow door, which was jolted open.

A lawyer for Meyer Werft, the German yard that built the Estonia, said it had sailed for 14 years without problems before the accident, arguing that the report was based on theoretical models. A lawyer for a group representing families of Swedish victims said he was dissatisfied with the report and called for a new inquiry. Reuters - Tallinn