THIS SERIES IS A CREATIVE REIMAGINING OF REAL-LIFE EVENTS,
SOME CHARACTERS AND EVENTS HAVE BEEN ALTERED
OR CREATED FOR NARRATIVE PURPOSES,
Hello?
ŚWINOUJŚCIE, POLAND HARBOUR MASTER'S OFFICE, 14 JANUARY 1993
Thanks,
- Good morning, Captain, Coffee? - Yes, please,
Hi,
Morning, gentlemen,
What a way to start the year! Right, Piotr?
- What's the army doing here? - Security reasons, you understand,
What happened?
A mayday call, Seems they capsized,
Roly-fucking-poly of a ship,
- Is the rescue underway? - Navigator, how's it going?
Rescuers from Kiel are out searching,
What about ours?
- Staying put, for now, - Why?
We don't have the coordinates,
But they're almost certainly in German waters,
So, we're stuck because the Germans are afraid of a Polish invasion?
There's a protocol, We can't just sail into their waters,
Sorry, and you are?
No, I'm sorry, In all the commotion, I forgot to introduce you,
This is Major Ferenc,
We were thinking you might be able to help us, Piotr,
What would you do in a storm like this?
I'd probably hide behind Rügen, sail close to land for as long as I could,
and head east,
But I'm not there, I've no idea what's actually going on,
Besides, Ułasiewicz knows what to do,
Who let them sail in this weather?
When they left, the wind was a seven,
What time was that?
Midnight,
Why so late?
There was an issue with the stern door,
The door? What kind of issue?
You ask a lot of questions, Mr Binter,
We'd prefer to question you,
- About what? Those people need saving, - Follow me,
Since when are ferries handled by the security services?
- Your coffee, sir, - Thanks, Zosia,
This way,
Close the door,
What is it you want?
Could this be sabotage? Or terrorism?
On the Heweliusz? Are you serious?
I am,
There's a lot of competition in the Baltic,
Navica Ferries has a lot of enemies,
Maybe a rival sabotaged the ferry,
The door was repaired before she set sail,
Maybe someone tampered with it deliberately,
Like who?
Russians, Germans, Swedes,,, Take your pick,
See anything suspicious during your shift?
No,
And Captain Ułasiewicz?
What about him?
Maybe he screwed up,
We don't even know what happened yet,
Was he trustworthy? Responsible?
Ułasiewicz is a good captain,
Very good,
Experienced too,
- You were his second officer, - Indeed, What of it?
Nothing, Maybe you're just not objective,
Look, people are drowning out there,
Help!
Save me!
,,,the Lord is with thee,
Blessed art thou among women and blessed is the fruit of thy womb,
Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners
now and at the hour of our death,
Help!
Watch out! We're sinking!
THE BALTIC SEA, ADLERGRUND 5:12 AM
Get closer! Closer!
- A little more! - Okay, that’s it!
- We’ve got him! - Pull him in!
Pull him in! Pull!
Get him in!
Okay,
Is he alive?
You alive?
Unzip him,
He's alive!
- We've got you! - Stay with us,
- Hoist him in, - Bring him up!
Up!
Hold onto him, Officer,
We've got you!
Witek,
you're alive,
Witek!
What about the captain?
He stayed on the bridge,
Hey!
What time is it?
- What's the time? - Mother of God, pray for us,,,
The time!
Hey!
Eight past six!
You alive?
Hey!
Hey, mate! Hey!
Something's wrong with him! Hey!
Is he alive?
Fuck,
What are you doing?
We need a watch!
Why are you giving it to me? Keep it!
You keep it!
You've got a suit, You'll make it, I won't!
Yes, you will! Come on!
- We'll warm you up! - Get over here!
- Sit here! - As close to us as you can,
Okay,
What happened on the bridge?
Why did we cross the wind?
They're here!
Wait,
Hey!
Here!
- They're fucking coming! - A little lower!
Hey!
A little lower!
What the fuck are they waiting for? Hey!
Hey! Closer!
Alpha four, Alpha four!
Go, Alpha Four!
We're over the disaster site now!
Give me your position!
Our coordinates are,,,
Position 82,
Sixteen miles from Kolliker Ort,
Grab it!
All right, I’ve got it!
It's okay, Waldek, Hang on!
Put it on!
Tighten it up! Okay,
No!
Fuck, Waldek!
ŚWINOUJŚCIE - HARBOUR MASTER'S OFFICE 6:16 AM
- We know where they are, - How are they doing?
It's a bloodbath, apparently,
What do you mean?
That's what they said, Corpses everywhere,
Here,
That's not the usual route, Why are they so far from Rügen?
Any of our ships nearby?
- Everyone's back in port, - Then we need to call on Darłowo,
Get a move on, Mirek!
There's no time to lose in these temperatures,
Captain, telephone!
Hello?
Yes, Commander,
Sending the coordinates now,
Two men?
Three, understood, They'll be ready,
Yes, sir,
- Sobieski's preparing to clear, - Who?
The naval ship Sobieski, Kazik, call Darłowo, Piotr!
You're going, right?
You know the ferry well, I'm sure you can help,
Zosia!
Hey!
Here!
Here! Swim!
Swim!
ARIADNE GERMAN RESCUE SHIP, 6:20 AM
You can do it!
Come on!
Can you reach me?! Give me your hand!
- Come on! - You can do it! Come on!
Pull!
Get inside!
- Yes! I see them! - The light!
Hey! Here!
Hey!
Hey! Over here!
- You need to get closer! - Closer!
- Hey! - Closer!
We can't get any closer!
Rope!
Give me a rope!
Fuck! A rope, come on!
Fucking catch it! Hold on!
Hold onto it,
Pull it!
Pull!
- Okay! - More!
Got it, Pull it!
Fuck,
Hold on!
Jump! Now!
I know something's happened!
- Nothing's happened, - Captain! They won't let me in!
Coming,
- Hold on, gentlemen, - Tell me what's happening,
All right, Just a second, gentlemen,
Did you come by car?
Don't you know who I am?
My husband's on the Heweliusz,
Okay, calm down, Where did you park?
Tell me the truth,
We don't know what really happened yet, madam,
Calm down, Go back to your car,
Where did you park? I'll accompany you,
I need to know what's going on out there,
Don't lie to me, I'm begging you!
What makes you think something's happened anyway?
I asked you not to lie!
My sister works at the radio station in Gdynia
and she told me everything,
Everything! That there was a signal, a mayday call,,,
You need to go home and be patient now, madam,
Won't you tell me anything?
I'm sure you'll be informed of any news,
Please, go home,
,,,blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus,
Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners,,,
It'll be okay!
Shut the fuck up!
Wait!
Give me your hand!
- Grab onto me! - I can't!
You can! Grab on!
Give me your hand!
- I'm drowning! - Hold on!
Hold on! Tight!
Help me!
Give me your hand!
Grab hold of me!
Hey, where are you? Hey!
Leave him! Come up!
Give me your hand!
Drink,
Waldek?
Waldek!
- Witek! - Waldek,,,
Witek, I,,, I'm not going to make it,
Yes, you are! You hear me?
- You'll make it, - I won't,
- Home stretch! - No,,,
- You've got this far, You can make it, - No,,,
- I can't, - Drink,
Home stretch,
Hold on,
- Just hold on, - Listen, Witek,
- Yes? - Listen,
You have to tell them what happened, You hear me?
You have to tell them,
I'm not,,,
I'm not going to make it,
Yes, you are, Waldek,
You're going to make it,
You will,
- Thomas! - What is it?
If we don't get going, it's corpses we'll be carrying,
It'll take us an hour to get to harbour,
What about the rest?
The helicopters will handle it,
Okay! Let's go back!
Pull it up! Quickly!
We're heading back!
SASSNITZ, GERMANY 14 JANUARY, 7:20 AM
Marcin, come here! Push it a little further,
Okay,
- Over there! - Up!
Round the other side,
- To the right! - This way, Go on!
Keep back! Back!
Give us some space, please!
Make way,
- Let me through, Make way, please! - Waldek!
- Move away, please, - Waldek, save him!
I'm Veronika Neumann, an internal medicine specialist,
I don't know if you can understand me,
But it's important you keep still, okay?
Waldek,,,
Where's Waldek?
- Look at me, please, - Where's Waldek?
- Very good, Again, - That's bright,
Where's Waldek?
Excellent, Look at my finger,
Now, follow my finger,
- Doctor, - One moment,
Thank you,
- What about Waldek? - You speak German,
Where is he?
My colleagues will attend to your friend,
Don't worry, okay?
Thank you,
Take it easy, We'll help you, You're safe now,
We can leave now,
ŚWINOUJŚCIE NAVAL PORT - 7:35 AM
- Good morning, - Piotr, hi!
Hello,
Deputy Minister, gentlemen, We need to depart,
I can't fucking believe this, Piotr,
I should be in Grabarka celebrating the Orthodox New Year,,,
showing everyone how,,, ecumenical I am, and instead we're out fishing for corpses,
Do you know what happened, sir?
She rolled on her port side,
Port side? Are you sure?
Yes,
- Looks like she crossed the wind, - In these conditions?
To shelter behind Rügen, probably,
Why's the military involved?
They can't seriously be considering terrorism, surely?
I don't know! They just hauled me out of bed,
I guess it was Franio, He always plays it safe,
Any casualties? What about the passengers?
The water's at two degrees, Even the krill will freeze,
So, the rescue's too late,
Piotr, the Baltic Sea isn't Lake Mamry, We didn't even have coordinates,
WARSAW 7:45 AM
We interrupt this broadcast to bring you breaking news,,,
Aga, we're leaving!
Hurry up, sweetheart,
You're not supposed to wear make-up to school,
No one will notice,
I noticed,
Because you look more closely,
Aga!
Come on, It's quicker this way,
- Are you going to Uncle's? - Yes,
Will you tell me what Dad says?
- I always do, - And what he bought for me?
Have a nice day,
When will we get a landline?
Soon,
Right, Bye,
- Good morning, - Good morning,
- Hey, - Jolka,
- Drink this first, please, - What is it?
Don't ask, Just drink it,
I don't want to, What's wrong with you?
What happened?
Jola, listen,
We can't see much from the shore,
We can see the capsized ferry,
and German helicopters arriving on the scene,
No, no, no,,,
No!
Please, no!
You're lucky this trip didn't fall to you, Piotr,
Jesus,,,
Fucking hell,
Which deck are the lorries on?
- Number two, - Two?
Raft Four, we have three more bodies,
What are they doing?
They're going to dive,
Check if anyone's trapped below deck,
- In the cargo deck? - Not exclusively,
And how will they get them out?
They don't have cutting gear or spare tanks,
So, anyone they find is just meant to swim up?
It's just reconnaissance for now,
Reconnaissance? Six hours after the disaster?
What's going on?
Piotr, we're needed to identify the bodies, Let's go,
Captain Binter!
This is Raft One, We're heading in, We can't carry any more,
- Think you can handle it? - Yeah,
Are you sure?
Yes,
Okay,
We're here to identify the bodies,
Hold your noses,
I'll stay here,
Why do they look like that? What happened?
Probably the propeller,
The Heweliusz has covered propellers,
Maybe they hit some metal parts when they fell from the deck,
What, and it tore their arms and legs off?
Are you here to identify the bodies or conduct an investigation?
This,,, This is Czesiek Urbański,
I sailed with him on the Nałęczów,
A brilliant electrician,
Zenon Lipczyk,,, Lipczak, sorry, Lipczak,
- Lipczak, - Lipczak, yes, Motor guy,
Motorman,
Ernest Jaracz,
Able seaman,
Are there any women?
No,
What about Ułasiewicz?
- Any word on the captain? - The divers didn't reach the bridge,
Too bad,
We won't recover them all, anyway,
Take him to cold storage,
If we know the total energy required for metabolism,
we can calculate the nutrient intake necessary
to maintain metabolic balance,
"Balance,"
Don't get up,
Ela, can I see you for a minute?
Yes, I'll be right back, Don't go anywhere,
I see you, Udziela,
- Where are we going? - To ours,
And Mum?
At home, At ours, She's waiting,
No,
Mum, no,
Mum,,, Please, Mum,
Stop it, please,
He's alive,
Mum, I'm telling you, Dad's alive, I can feel it,
He wouldn't leave us, He can't have just died,
I mean, he'd find a way to save himself, right?
He wouldn't leave us,
He just wouldn't,
SASSNITZ, GERMANY 3:40 PM
How are you feeling?
How are you?
I've been better,
I'll give you something to help you fall asleep now,
It's important you rest,
You need to recover,
Okay,
Will you stay here?
Please,
Until I fall asleep,
Please,
Thank you,
ŚWINOUJŚCIE NAVAL PORT - 5:50 PM
I can't disclose any details,
But I can tell you there's been an accident,
The investigation will determine who's responsible,
As Deputy Minister, I give you my word
that those responsible for this tragedy will answer for it,
I will see to it personally, That's all for the time being,
Please respect the grief of those affected,
Thank you very much,
- Is a rescue operation planned? - Was it sabotage?
That was Deputy Minister Janusz Kowalik,
Subtitle translation by: Łukasz Stanisław Dutka and Emma Garner