Summer nights on the Baltic Sea are enchanting. The ferry crossing from Stockholm to Turku

is one of the most popular routes in Scandinavia, carrying thousands of passengers each year

through the pristine waters that connect Sweden and Finland. The journey takes about 11 hours,

and for many travelers, it's as much about the experience as the destination.

Young backpackers especially favor these overnight crossings.

They're affordable, comfortable, enough for stunning views of the archipelago.

The MS. Viking Sally was a magnificent vessel, launched in 1980, and serving as a floating hotel for passengers crossing the Baltic.

With their 10 decks,

restaurants, bars, and entertainment facilities, she was more than just transportation. She was a destination in herself. But beneath the veneer of luxury and leisure, the Viking

Sally would become synonymous with something darker.

On the morning of July 29, 1987, crew members aboard the Viking Sally made a horrific discovery

that would shock the entire maritime world. Two young German backpackers had been brutally

attacked while sleeping on the ship's open-air deck.

One was dead, the other clinging to life.

The attack was so savage, so random, that it seemed almost impossible to comprehend.

This is the story of a crime that would remain unsolved for over three decades,

haunting investigators and the families of the victims,

a case that would eventually reveal the dark side of what should have been a peaceful journey across the Baltic Sea.

This is the story of the 1987 Viking Sally murder.

You are listening to The Evidence Locker.

Thanks for listening to our podcast.

For an ad-free experience, join us on Patreon,

...