A Tragedy Revisited: The Sinking of the MS Jan Heweliusz
Netflix has released a powerful new drama that has captivated British audiences, recounting the harrowing true story of the MS Jan Heweliusz ferry disaster. The series, simply titled 'Heweliusz', has left viewers 'in tears' as it depicts one of Poland's most profound maritime tragedies.
In the early hours of January 14, 1993, the passenger ship embarked on a routine crossing of the Baltic Sea from Świnoujście, Poland, to Ystad, Sweden. On board were 36 passengers and 29 crew members, alongside 28 trucks and 10 rail cars.
The Fateful Storm and Capsizing
The voyage quickly turned into a fight for survival as the vessel encountered Storm Verena. The ferocious weather saw wind speeds escalate to 160 km/h and waves surge to heights of five metres. In a desperate attempt to stabilise the ship, the crew reduced its speed, but this decision had dire consequences.
The hurricane-force winds struck the side-on vessel, causing it to list severely. By 4.30am, the Captain gave the order to evacuate. Tragically, the evacuation itself proved fatal for many, with numerous people being thrown overboard by the immense winds.
Within just 45 minutes of the evacuation order, the ship had completely capsized approximately 15 miles off the coast of Cape Arkona on the German island of Rügen. Survivors later recounted that the ship sank with such speed that there was no time to launch many of the lifeboats. For those who did make it onto lifeboats, they faced a new enemy: the freezing 2-degree water temperature, leading to a desperate battle against hypothermia.
Of the 65 people on board, only nine survived. The sinking of the MS Jan Heweliusz remains the largest peacetime maritime disaster in Polish history.
A Cinematic 'Masterpiece' on Netflix
This week, the five-episode drama directed by Jan Holoubek premiered on Netflix, swiftly climbing the charts to become one of the most-watched shows in the UK. The series synopsis sets the scene: ‘A storm forces the crew and passengers of a ferry to fight for their lives, leaving their devastated families to seek answers – and justice.’
The production has been hailed as the largest and most complex Polish television series in recent years. Its scale is staggering, featuring over 120 named characters and 3,000 extras, with a crew of more than 140 members. The filming required 70 different locations and used a remarkable 700 tons of water to recreate the storm's fury.
Viewers have been quick to share their emotional responses online. One IMDB user, bursiewicz, wrote that the series 'literally made me cry,' praising its pacing and the interweaving of stories from real-life relatives and survivors. Another viewer, sennit, described it as a 'heart-breaking true story' that makes you 'feel the events and hopelessness crawling on your skin.' User Maciej-89 added, ‘I’m genuinely blown away by this Polish Netflix series... It captures the full spectrum of human emotion: trauma, guilt, anger, and hope. Truly a masterpiece.’
The Aftermath and Search for Justice
The series also delves into the troubling history of the vessel. In the years leading up to its final voyage, the Heweliusz had been involved in nearly 30 serious accidents, including a near-sinking in 1982 and a major fire three years later. Alarmingly, just four days before the disaster, its stern gate was damaged. While the Captain wanted the ship taken out of service for immediate repair, the shipowners decided it could be addressed at a later date.
The victims of the tragedy were citizens of Poland, Sweden, Austria, Hungary, Norway, Czechoslovakia, and Yugoslavia, and included two children. Only 37 bodies were ever recovered from the sea.
An official commission was established by Prime Minister Hanna Suchocka to investigate, but it was suspended in March 1993 without producing a final report. Ultimately, the shipowner, Euroafrica, was found responsible for the disaster. The Polish Register of Shipping, the Szczecin Maritime Office, and Captain Andrzej Ułasiewicz were also deemed partially liable. It took until 2005 for the European Court of Human Rights to grant damages to the families of the victims, bringing a long-delayed measure of justice.
Heweliusz is now available for streaming on Netflix.
