The vessels sank because temperatures dropped below freezing, causing ice to build up on the ships, which began to list. The storm prevented the ice from being cleared.

One of the ships, Juku, built in 1954 in Germany, is currently used as a coastal defense training vessel by the Tallinn unit of the Defense League. Juku is partially underwater, and to rescue it, air must be pumped into the vessel to restore buoyancy.

"All openings on the ship have been sealed by divers. A hatch has been hermetically installed on the ship to allow air intake, and the vessel is currently being pumped free of water to achieve buoyancy. Just now, an underwater drone was in the water and we received feedback that water was flowing in again from one spot. We are working to seal it. It's too early to give a forecast — it might not even succeed," said Junior Lieutenant Tarvo Ilves, commander of the Tallinn unit's coastal defense company.

The second ship, Athos, a cargo vessel built in 1988, is used for transporting goods to small islands and for supplying ships. Most of the water has been pumped out and Athos has been towed to a quay where it can be lifted onto a trailer using a crane.

"Of course, we tried to save the situation, but it was impossible. The waves here by the quay were four or five meters high… Water was simply crashing down from above. It was not even water anymore, practically ice. The ice built up gradually, and that is how it happened," said GoToShip representative Andrus Koch.

Athos has now been removed from the quay and will undergo repairs. Initially, the hull was too heavy for the crane, and more water had to be pumped out.

Juku poses more difficulty. It can only be moved with a floating crane, but the one available in Estonia cannot lift a water-filled ship. The rescue team faces considerable effort in pumping the vessel empty and restoring its buoyancy.

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