Firefighters from Greater Poland dived in the wreck of the "Jan Heweliusz" ferry

Firefighters from Greater Poland dived in the wreck of the "Jan Heweliusz" ferry. Specialized water and diving groups from Kościan and Piła decided to check how they would cope in difficult sea conditions. Firefighters inspired by, among others, popular series that appeared on one of the podcast platforms, they decided to go to the bottom of the Baltic Sea and look inside the ferry.

One of the sayings of the fire service says that the duty of our fire service is to improve our skills. When we are not saving, we are trying to develop what we can do - says aspirant Łukasz Haryk from the Specialized Water and Diving Group from Kościan. On the one hand, we are extremely happy that we managed to fulfill such a dream, but on the other, we remember that this is a place where 56 people lost their lives. We wanted to pay tribute to those who did not manage to reach the shore - he emphasizes.

"Then Everything Changed"

Firefighters from water and diving groups had been preparing to go underwater for several weeks. The conditions in which they dived were significantly different from those they deal with every day in their work.

The inland area where we operate is not characterized by the same waves as at sea. Weather variability is another issue. When we reached the place where we went under water, we had very good conditions, but then everything changed - explains firefighter Jakub Haryk from the District Headquarters of the State Fire Service in Kościan.

After the first dive, the waves increased. We felt currents under the water, and visibility was limited, he says.

Wreck of the ferry "Jan Heweliusz"

Underwater, firefighters found a 130-meter-high wreck of the "Jan Heweliusz" ferry. At first they circled it and then "swam in." We saw everything that was left there. The size of the wreck was impressive. Twisted metal, overturned trucks and railway wagons - says firefighter Jakub Haryk.

Firefighters emphasize that this type of exercises are a good opportunity to test themselves in conditions other than those they encounter on a daily basis. We certainly have no contact with such water currents. This shows, among other things, how important the fitness of firefighters is and what we still need to work on - explains senior aspirant Hubert Wawrzyniak.

We meet quite regularly because we take part in various courses together. After our departure, there are analyzes of what we did well and what we need to improve. We already know that we will want to go on another similar journey together with our colleagues - adds firefighter Filip Matysiak.

Diving firefighters from Kościan emphasize that the entire operation would not have been successful without the help of their colleagues from Piła and SAR rescuers who took care of them at sea.