At 8 pm on June 26, the Klaipėda University training-research vessel schooner Brabander leaves the cruise ship terminal for Tallinn. The KU researchers are going to carry out a project The Lithuanian Warship President Smetona (search for, and investigation of, the warship President Smetona and other vessels of Independent Lithuania sunken in Estonian waters). The project is funded in the framework of the Fostering of Historical Memory programme, part of the celebration of Centenary of the Restoration of Lithuania’s State.

The investigation will be carried out in Estonian waters, seeking to identify the ships sunken in the period of 1939-1945: the warship President Smetona of Independent Lithuania, as well as merchant vessels Panevėžys, Kretinga and Utena, and to conduct their exploratory non-invasive investigation.

The sunken ships are to be explored by a side-scan sonar, they are to be filmed and photographed. The depths in those areas amount to 70–80 m, therefore, autonomous underwater devises and deep divers will be included in the investigation. The process will be reflected in a documentary film and in reportages.

The project implementor is the Institute of Baltic Region History and Archaeology, and the project leader is academician prof. dr. habil. Vladas Žulkus. The partners of the project are Lithuanian Naval Forces and the Estonian National Heritage Board. 

Beside Klaipėda University, Lithuanian Navy professionals, and a representative of the Lithuanian Army, the expedition includes the creative group of the UAB ERA FILM  and a representative of the Lithuanian Radio and TV. 

The project is funded by the Lithuanian Academy of Sciences, the Maritime Culture Coordination Council at the Klaipėda City Municipality Council, the Lithuanian Maritime Safety Administration, Lithuanian Emabassies to Canada and Estonia, and the Lithuanian community in Canada.

The project in Estonia will last from June 29 to July 8 2007. On 9-10 July 2017, the Brabander in the port of Tallinn Lennusadam – Meremuuseum will organise an ”open ship” campaign, in which the researchers of Klaipėda University will introduce Lithuanian marine underwater archaeological research, and the sailboat Brabander will be visited by the Tallinn Lithuanians‘ delegation, representatives of the Lithuanian Embassy in Tallinn, and visitors of the Estonian Maritime Museum (Lennusadam – Meremuuseum)

For more information, please contact:

Academician prof. dr. habil. Vladas Žulkus

+37068253511

vladas.maritime@gmail.com