About the Independent Estonia Investigation
The Independent Estonia Investigation is carried out by the
Baltic Marine Technical Investigation Group (BMTIG), an independent, non-governmental
research initiative focusing on the technical circumstances surrounding the loss of MS Estonia.
The group combines expertise in naval architecture, structural mechanics, hydrodynamics,
accident investigation, risk analysis and parliamentary experience, and has produced the
scientific report series R1–R10 (2025).
Mission and Approach
BMTIG’s work is based on a technical, physics-based and transparent approach. The investigation:
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analyses the damage pattern, structural deformation, hydrodynamic behaviour and seabed interaction
of MS Estonia; - uses reproducible models, explicit assumptions and documented calculations;
- evaluates alternative scenarios against the available physical evidence, survivor accounts and survey data;
- formulates testable predictions and outlines the additional investigations required from competent authorities.
The group is independent of state authorities, political parties and commercial interests.
Its work is intended to support a fully transparent and scientifically robust understanding of the MS Estonia disaster.
Investigation Team
The Baltic Marine Technical Investigation Group (BMTIG) consists of the following core members:
Johan Ridderstolpe
Former Naval Construction Chief, Swedish Armed Forces; Technical Director, Muskö Naval Shipyard
Ridderstolpe possesses professional competence equivalent to an M.Sc. in Marine Engineering with a
specialization in systems and safety engineering. He has led technical evaluations in naval infrastructure,
heavy steel structures and ship-system integrity, contributing the structural and engineering foundation for
BMTIG’s reconstruction of the Estonia sequence.
Prof. Anders Ulfvarson
Professor Emeritus in Naval Architecture, Chalmers University of Technology
Anders Ulfvarson brings decades of academic and industrial experience in ship structures, hydrodynamics and
maritime safety. His research has focused on deformation mechanics, damage tolerance and large-scale structural
response—areas central to the energy-based evaluation used in BMTIG’s damage modelling.
Dr Roland Karlsson
Flight Captain (ret.) & Accident Investigator (ret.)
Dr Karlsson has extensive experience in accident reconstruction, probabilistic reasoning and human-factors analysis.
His background in aviation investigation and risk methodology contributes to BMTIG’s scenario evaluation, Bayesian
comparisons and cross-disciplinary validation of impact hypotheses.
Henrik Olsen
Initiator, Project Coordinator and Researcher – Independent Estonia Investigation (R1–R10)
Henrik Olsen is the initiator of the BMTIG independent technical analysis series on the MS Estonia and has
coordinated the work between Swedish and Estonian experts, including the collection, structuring and quality
assurance of foundational material.
As a researcher, he has contributed to document analysis, methodological development and the integration of
technical and empirical data. He is also responsible for the animations that illustrate the sinking sequence and
structural damage processes in the report series.
Lars Ångström
Former Member of Parliament, Defence Committee (1998–2006); former member of the War Delegation
Ångström served as the parliamentary lead on Estonia-related matters for the Swedish Green Party between
2000 and 2006 and was the initiator of the cross-party Estonia Group in the Swedish Parliament. He has been
editor and principal coordinator within the research consortium Fokus Estonia (2020–2025).
Within BMTIG he contributes to strategic analysis, communication and parliamentary liaison related to the
Estonia investigation.