Struck by an emergency in a storm, MS Estonia has sent out a distress message. A massive rescue operation is underway in the Baltic Sea, and relatives waiting at the terminal want to know what has happened to their loved ones.

The Investigation Commission meets for the first time. Relatives want to hear the truth about the deceased and survivors from the authorities. The Commission's leaders tell the media that the investigation cannot begin until the ship's wreck is found.

On the night of the accident, MS Silja Europa receives a distress call from MS Estonia. They decide to turn the ship and steer to assistance, facing a long and arduous night. Although the wreck has now been located on the seabed, investigations cannot be commenced because the ship's bow visor is still missing.

MS Estonian's emergency buoy is found on the Estonian coast. Estonian investigators would like to study the buoy themselves, but they must deliver it to Finland. Pressure within the Commission is mounting, and it is no longer possible to continue the investigation as before.

For the seventh time, the Commission of Inquiry summons the crew member who survived the MS Estonia for questioning to find out what happened on the bridge when the crew discovered that the ship was facing a maritime emergency. But can the memory of the witness be trusted?

The Investigation Commission is looking for a new Chairman as the whole Commission seems to be falling apart. On MS Estonia, the debate between two Swedish brothers returning from Tallinn about their future together is interrupted when water starts to flow in under their cabin's door.

An Estonian dancer and a Swedish woman returning home fight for survival in the cold sea after MS Estonia has sunk. The Investigation Commission suspends the water tank tests for financial reasons, and the progress of the investigation requires the continuation of work without any knowledge of funding.

The new configuration of the Investigation Commission decides to publish the final report on the MS Estonia accident. Survivors and relatives seek justice and a way to raise the wreck from the seabed. They meet each other on a cruise to commemorate the accident.