Rescued and disappeared Captain Avo Piht was seen helping passengers with life jackets during the sinking on deck 7. He rescued himself in a life raft together with Variety Dancer Hannely Veide and Hanka-Hannika Veide. Avo Piht was not on duty the night of the accident. According to the Finnish evening newspaper "Iltalehti" the boat had two captains, at least one of whom survived. In Swedish news, helicopter crew told the press that the Second, Captain Avo Piht just was rescued. The news was sent in channel 4 news. Piht was also seen in ZDF news around 1.30 p.m. by several witnesses, among those Jannika Ade who used to work on M/V Estonia.
On 28.09.94 in the morning the news of the Estonian Radio, Estonian TV, Finnish TV announce the rescue of A. Piht. A Swedish helicopter had rescued A. Piht.
On 28.09.94 at 2.30 p.m. phoned Captain Erich Moik from MV Mare Balticum in Rostock , telling that Estonian sailors saw rescued A. Piht on ZDF news.
In the evening of 28.09.94 E. Madisson phoned on Swedish phone number 666 60 56, from which was said that A. Piht was alive and rescued. The same news was repeated to L. Garder on 29.09.94.
On 30.09.94 Chief of Security Department of the Swedish Department of Water Transportation, Mr. Bengt Erik Stenmark gives an interview to Reuter News Agency telling that commission, dealing with the catastrophe has talked to A. Piht. Mr. Stenmark has not refuted his claim.
On 01.10.94 representative of "Estline", Mr. Yrjö Saarinen show a telefax dated from the 28:th of September, where A. Piht born in 1954 is on the list of the rescued.
On 02.10.94 a message from reliable sources tell that from Sweden has arrived a fax to the Ministry of International Affairs telling that among other names of rescued are both A. Piht and A. Targama.
To be marked on the earlier list the persons rescued had to state their name themselves.
Update 1999.04.10
Piht is wanted by INTERPOL. On 7:th of October 1994 INTERPOL Tallinn issued a description of A. Piht with attached picture, wanted in connection of the criminal case no. 94980041 regarding MS Estonia.