Original subtitles

THIS SERIES IS A CREATIVE REIMAGINING OF REAL-LIFE EVENTS.

SOME CHARACTERS AND EVENTS WERE ALTERED OR CREATED

FOR NARRATIVE PURPOSES.

Mayday! Mayday! All ships!

Save ferry Jan Heweliusz. Save ferry Jan Heweliusz.

Mayday, mayday, mayday.

Hello? Yeah.

ŚWINOUJŚCIE, POLAND HARBOUR MASTER'S OFFICE, 14 JANUARY 1993

Thanks.

-Good morning, Captain. Coffee? -Yes, please.

-Hi. -Hi.

-Morning, gentlemen. -Ah.

Lovely start to the new year, isn't it, Piotr?

Why are the army involved?

Just a security precaution, you understand.

So, what's going on?

We received a mayday. Probably fucking capsized.

Fucking roly-poly vessel.

Is rescue underway?

Navigator, what's the latest?

Rescue teams from Kiel are already searching the area.

What about our teams?

-Not involved, for now. -Why not?

Nobody has the coordinates yet.

But it almost certainly happened in waters belonging to Germany.

You're telling me the Germans are afraid of some Polish sailors now?

There's a protocol.

-We can't just sail into their waters. -Sorry, I didn't catch your name?

Forgive me. With everything going on, I forgot to introduce you.

This is Major Ferenc.

Uh… We thought maybe, Piotr, you may be able to help us.

What would you do in a storm like that one?

I'd probably take shelter behind Rügen

and then sail close to land

for as long as possible and head east.

I'm not sure. I've no idea what's going on out there.

Ułasiewicz probably knows the best way to cope with it.

Who gave permission to sail in this bad weather?

On departure the wind was seven, no more.

What time did they pass the lighthouse?

About midnight.

Bit late isn't it?

Seems there was a problem with the stern gate before leaving.

Stern gate? What kind of problem?

You're asking a lot of questions, Mr. Binter.

How about you answer some questions instead?

-What questions? These people need saving. -If you'd follow me.

What's going on? Since when does the military handle ferries?

Your coffee, Captain.

-Thank you, Zosia. -Captain. Now, please.

Close the door, would you?

What is it?

You think this might've been an act of sabotage? Maybe terrorism?

-On Heweliusz? Are you serious? -Very.

You know the competition in the Baltic Sea is desperate.

Navica Ferries has a lot of enemies.

Maybe a competitor has targeted them.

The stern gate had been fixed before departure.

Someone could have caused that malfunction deliberately.

Who would do that?

The Russians, Germans, Swedes…

Anything suspicious from your shift, do you remember?

No, no.

And Captain… Ułasiewicz?

What are you implying?

Maybe he messed up?

I'm sorry, sir. But we don't have any idea what could have gone on.

Was he trustworthy? Reliable, would you say?

Ułasiewicz is a superb captain.

Exceptional, I would say.

Experienced, as well.

-You were his Second Officer, weren't you? -I was, yes. So what?

Maybe you're not the most objective person.

Fine, but I do know that there are people out there now drowning.

Fuck!

Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee.

Blessed art thou amongst 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. Amen.

THE BALTIC SEA, ADLERGRUND 5:12 AM

Closer!

-More! A bit more! -Okay, got him!

-We've got him! -Got him! Pull him in!

Pull him in. Pull!

Yeah!

Get him out!

Pull him in! Pull him in!

-Okay. -Witek!

-We've got you! -You're alive!

Unzip him!

He's alive! He's alive!

-Yeah, he's alive! -Stay with us!

-Lift him. -Get him up!

Get him up, up!

Hold him, officer. Keep hold of him.

Witek…

You're alive. You're alive!

Witek!

Where's the captain?

He chose to stay on the… on the bridge!

Hey!

What's the time now?

What time is it? Did you hear?

Hey!

6:08.

You alive?

Hey!

-How long have we been in the sea? -Hey, don't let go! Hey!

He's not moving any more! Hey!

-Is he breathing? -Fuck…

What are you doing?

Borrowing his watch, we'll need it!

Why are you giving it to me? You keep it!

Keep it yourself!

In your suit you can stay alive! It's unlikely that I can!

Don't say that!

-Come here! -Come closer!

Marek! Pull him in!

Get close!

Sit here!

Good.

Witek, what happened on the bridge?

Why did we about into the wind?

-They're here! -What?

They're coming!

Hey!

-Hey! They're fucking coming! -Hey! A bit closer!

A bit closer!

-What the fuck are they waiting for? Hey! -Hey!

Fuck!

Alpha Four, Alpha Four!

Go ahead, Alpha Four! Have you found them?

We're over the site of the catastrophe!

Copy that. Give me your position.

Closer!

Our coordinates are…

Position 280.

Sixteen miles from Kolliker Ort.

Catch it!

Okay, I've got it!

Keep strong, Waldek! You'll be ok!

Put it on! Pull it tight, okay?

-Fuck! -Pull him up!

Hey!

ŚWINOUJŚCIE HARBOUR MASTER'S OFFICE 6:16 AM

We know where they are.

How are they?

They said they're in a battle with death.

What's going on?

No idea. They said there's bodies floating everywhere.

They're here.

That's not the standard course. Why is it so far from Rügen?

Are any of our ships close by?

Everyone's already in port.

So we need to mobilise Darłowo.

Mirek, you know we have to.

Nobody stands a chance in temperatures as low as that.

Captain, you've got a phone call!

-Captain. -Kurzak.

Yes, Commander.

We've got the coordinates. About to send them.

Two, then?

Three. They'll be ready to leave.

Yes, sir.

Sobieski's getting ready to leave port.

What's that?

The navy ship, Sobieski. Kazik, call Darłowo.

Piotr!

You're going as well, okay?

You know the ferry. I'm sure you can help.

Zosia! Prepare those reports from 5:00 am.

Hey!

Here!

Here! Hurry!

See if you can make it to us!

ARIADNE, GERMAN RESCUE SHIP 6:20 AM

Nearly there!

Hold on!

Reach up!

You can do it!

Lifeboat!

Li… Lifeboat!

Life… Lifeboat!

Life…

Get inside!

Go in!

There! There are others there! Hold the spotlight!

We're coming!

Hey!

-Hey! Hey, over here! -Hey!

Here!

Over here! We're here!

-Closer! Here! -Closer!

Hey! We can't get any closer!

Quickly!

Throw the rope!

Come on!

-Got it! Fucking pull it! -Help me pull!

Hold it!

Pull it! Pull!

-Okay! -Harder!

There! Pull it!

-Oh, fuck! -Try and pull it in!

Pull it tight!

Jump!

Come on!

-We can't let you in. -Something's happened.

-Nothing's happened. -Please, Captain!

-Calm down. -They won't tell me anything!

I'm coming. Gentlemen, please, that's enough.

-I need to know what's going on! -Just a second. Please, gentlemen.

Uh… have you come here by car, Madam?

-Don't you know who I am? -Yes?

-The Heweliusz, my husband's on board. -I understand.

-Please, calm down and show me where you… -I need somebody to tell me the truth!

Madam, we don't know yet what's happened.

So please, if you would go back to your car…

Tell me where you've parked. I'll walk you back there.

I need to know what's going on out there.

Please don't lie, I beg you!

Why do you even think there's anything going on out there?

I'm begging you to be honest and not lie to me!

My sister works at the port in Gdynia on the radios

and she told me everything.

Everything! She told me about the signal.

-About the mayday… -Madam, you must go home and be patient.

You have to leave everything to us.

You mean you won't tell me anything?

I'm sure you'll have news when there's anything to give you.

Now please, I'm asking if you'll go home.

Give me your hand!

Lord, have mercy on us! I'm begging you!

-It'll be okay! It'll be okay! -Lord, save us! I'm begging you!

Shut up, it's unbearable! Shut the fuck up!

-I don't want to die! -Wait!

Hold on!

Give me your hand!

Hold on!

-Help me! Help me! -Grab on to me!

I'm slipping!

-I can't hold on! -You can! Grab on!

Just give me your hand!

Try to reach me!

I'm gonna drown!

Hold on!

Hold on, tight!

-Help me! Help me! -Here! Come here!

Give me your hand!

Grab onto me!

Hey!

Hey, where are you!

Climb! Come on, get up!

Give me your hand. Give me your hand!

Get in!

Drink.

Waldek?

Waldek!

Waldek!

-Witek… -Waldek!

-Witek… -Oh!

Witek, I won't… I won't make it.

That's not true! You'll do it!

-You'll do it. -I won't.

-You've come this far! -No…

You're going to make it. You're nearly there!

I can't…

-I can't… do… do it. -Come on.

Drink this.

Nearly there.

-Home stretch. Almost there. -Listen, Witek… Witek!

-Yes? -Listen.

You tell everyone. You have to promise you will.

Swear it.

Everyone must know the truth.

I…

I won't… I can't…

Waldek, you'll be fine.

Come on, that's it.

-Tell them what happened… -You'll make it, you hear?

-Thomas! -What is it?

We have to go back or we'll be taking them dead bodies.

It'll take an hour to get to the port.

What about the rest?

The helicopters are here for that.

Okay! We'll have to go!

Let's go! We're heading back to port!

We have to turn around!

SASSNITZ, GERMANY 14 JANUARY, 7:20 AM

Okay, let's go.

-Marcin, come here! -Okay! That's it.

Okay.

-Thanks. -That way, quickly!

-Mind out. To the other side. -Yeah.

-To the right. -This way.

Stay back. No further.

Stay back, please.

Mind out.

Here, this way.

Please give us some space. Make way. Please let me through.

-Make way. Make way, please. -Where's Waldek?

Please mind out.

-Waldek! -Move back.

Help Waldek. Where are you?

Save Waldek.

My name is Veronika Neumann. I'm a physician.

You're in Germany and we will take care of you.

Right. You have to stay still. Don't move, okay? Okay?

Don't move.

Waldek.

Where's Waldek?

-Please would you look at me? -Where's Waldek?

-Very good. -Where is he?

-Pupils normal. -Where's Waldek?

-That's great. Focus on my finger. -Waldek… Waldek…

-Here, Doctor. -Thank you.

That's it.

What about Waldek?

Is he your friend?

Where is he?

My colleagues will be taking care of your friend.

There's no need for concern, all right?

Thank you.

You're okay.

We'll help you. You're safe now.

We can go!

ŚWINOUJŚCIE NAVY PORT, 7:35 AM

-Good morning. -Ah, Piotr! Hello, yes.

Deputy Minister, gentlemen, we should leave now.

I can't fucking believe it, Piotr. I honestly can't!

I was supposed to celebrate Uniate New Year in Grabarka.

I was showing the people my ecumenical side,

but now I'm here fishing out corpses.

Do you know what happened, sir?

It rolled onto its portside.

It… It rolled over?

-The portside? -That's right.

It made an about.

Even in that weather?

Probably trying to hide behind Rügen.

Why are the military interested in this?

They can't be serious about this being a terrorist attack?

Piotr, I've no idea. I've just been pulled out of bed.

Probably Franio just playing it safe as he usually does.

But sir, what about the passengers?

Water's just above zero. Even the krill's bloody freezing.

What about the rescue mission? How's that going?

Look, Piotr…

The Baltic's not a puddle.

There were no coordinates!

WARSAW 7:45 AM

Are you losing touch

If you believed

They put a man on the moon Man on the…

We interrupt this broadcast with breaking news…

Aga, time to leave!

Hurry up, sweetheart.

You're not supposed to wear make-up to school.

Nobody's gonna notice.

Yeah, I noticed though.

Because you notice everything.

Aga!

-Are you going to Uncle's? -Mm-hmm.

Will you remember Dad's message?

I always remember.

And what he bought for me?

Enjoy your day.

How much longer till we get a telephone?

-Not much longer. -Mm.

Yeah, bye!

-Good morning. -Morning.

24H SECURE PARKING

Excuse me. We have nowhere to sleep and nothing to eat.

Do you have any spare change?

Thank you. God bless you.

Hey, Jola.

Why don't you have a bit of this?

-What is it? -Don't worry. Just have some.

I don't want to. What's wrong with you?

What's wrong?

Jola…

I…

These are live pictures from the location of the capsizing.

As you can see, not a lot of the ferry is visible.

More helicopters are constantly arriving at the scene

as they continue to search the water…

No!

With the sea temperature being so low at this time of the year,

it is highly unlikely that…

No, please, no!

You were lucky, Piotr, that you weren't on this shift.

Jesus…

Terrible, isn't it?

Tell me, which decks are the trucks driven on to?

-On deck two, they'd be. -On two, right.

Raft Four,

we have three more dead people.

Why are they suiting up?

Getting ready to dive below deck.

To make sure no one's trapped down there.

-In the cargo? -Not only in there.

Tell me how they plan to rescue them?

They don't even have any cutting tools, let alone equipment to breathe.

You think they're all down there holding their breath?

Their dive is to do with reconnaissance.

Reconnaissance? Six hours after the catastrophe?

What are you doing here?

Piotr, let's start the identification, shall we?

Captain Binter!

This is Raft One, Raft One.

We have to return. We can't fit them all.

Think you can do it?

-Yeah. -Are you sure?

Yes.

Okay.

Here for identification.

Hold your noses.

I'll just be out here.

What happened? Why are they like this?

I guess the propeller.

Heweliusz's propellers are covered.

They must have bumped into some machinery when they were falling off the deck.

Tore off their arms and legs, did it?

Are you here to conduct an investigation or identify the bodies?

This is… Cze… Czesiek Urbański.

I worked with him recently on Nałęczów.

A fine electrician.

Zenon Lipczyk… Lipczak.

-I'm sorry. Lipczak. -Okay… Lipczak.

Lipczak, yeah. Worked with motors.

Motorman.

Ernest Jaracz.

Able seaman.

No women are there?

No.

Ułasiewicz…

Have we recovered him?

The divers didn't make it to the bridge.

Oh, dear.

I guess we won't get everybody out.

I'm done. You can take him.

So as you can see,

by knowing the general amount of energy necessary for metabolism,

we can calculate the nutrient intake properly with a simple formula

and maintain a perfect balance.

Show me you understand that?

Balance.

You don't need to stand.

Excuse me, Ela…

Do you mind if we have a quick word?

Sure, I'll be right back. Keep going with your notes.

Udziela, especially you.

-Baldie! Baldie! Gimme a pen. -Get your notebook.

-Where are you taking me? -To our place.

Where's Mum, then?

At home. She's… with us.

She's there.

No.

No, Mum.

Mum… Mum, please don't.

Please stop and just listen.

He's still here.

Mum, do you understand? Dad's still here. I know he is.

He wouldn't leave us. He can't have just died.

I mean…

He'd be able to find a way to survive, wouldn't he?

He'd never leave us.

He just wouldn't.

SASSNITZ, GERMANY 3:40 PM

Hello.

Did you get some rest?

How are you feeling?

I've been better.

Mm-hmm.

I can give you something to help you fall asleep now.

Rest and recover, that's all you need to do.

It's important you get well.

Okay.

Maybe you could stay here?

Ple… Please, could you?

Erm, uh…

Maybe then, I'll rest a little.

Could you?

Thank you.

ŚWINOUJŚCIE NAVY PORT, 5:50 PM

I'm not authorised to give you any information.

But I am able to tell you there's been a… terrible accident.

An investigation will uncover

who is responsible.

As Deputy Minister, I can promise you

that those guilty

will be punished for it.

I will personally make sure of that, I assure you.

That's all I can tell you for now.

For the time being, please respect other people's pain.

Thank you all.

-Any further comment? -Was this deliberate? Minister!

That was Deputy Minister Janusz Kowalik.

Justyna, don't look.