The first episode of "Heweliusz" unfurls with a desperate call for help from the Polish ferry Jan Heweliusz, which has sunk in the waters near the German border in 1993. Captain Piotr, alerted to the situation, makes his way to the harbour master's office to assess and steer the response. He is introduced to Major Ferenc, who is leading the rescue operation. The harbour master turns to Piotr for his insights on how best to proceed, unaware of the military's intention to escalate the mission rather than focus on saving lives.
Ferenc privately questions Piotr about the possibility of an insider terrorist act being the cause of the sinking, and attempts to pin the blame on Captain Ułasiewicz. However, Piotr stands by Ułasiewicz and urges Ferenc to prioritize the desperate passengers still in the water, crying out for help amidst the stormy Baltic Sea.
Some passengers manage to board lifeboats and save a man named Waldek, only to find that Captain Ułasiewicz is nowhere to be seen, leading them to assume he stayed behind. The fate of one man on the lifeboat becomes known as he dies while Waldek struggles with hypothermia. A helicopter spots the boat and attempts a rescue, but Waldek falls from the rescue rope and drowns.
At the harbour, Piotr urges others to hasten the rescue efforts as people are dying in the cold waters. The harbour master orders him to depart with the naval ship Sobieski to assist in the rescue efforts. Meanwhile, Waldek miraculously swims through the storm and reaches a German rescue ship, where he informs them of the lifeboat and they go ahead to save the remaining men before a Polish helicopter could arrive.
A woman arrives at the harbour office with her baby, seeking news of her husband who was on board the Heweliusz. Piotr comforts her, telling her to go home and remain calm. On the German ship, Waldek is on his last breath when his friend Witek is brought in. In his final moments, he asks Witek to tell everyone the truth about the accident. The German rescuers return to port, leaving some men behind on the lifeboat, one of whom begs the rescuer, Thomas, to let the Polish helicopter save the rest.
The following morning, as dawn broke over the rescue site, reporters and medics stood by, poised to transport the plucky survivors to the hospital. Dr. Veronika's heart sank as she encountered Witek, his condition dire. His mind fixed on Waldek, as she gently assisted him into warmer clothes. In Poland's capital, Piotr confronted the Deputy Minister, seeking clarity on the military's role in the rescue operation. Despite his queries, the Deputy Minister remained enigmatic.
In Warsaw, Jolanta dropped her daughter Aga off at school, only to meet a friend who imparted the devastating news. Her thoughts immediately turned to her husband's safety, knowing he was aboard the ill-fated ship. Meanwhile, Ferenc joined Piotr and the Deputy Minister at the rescue site. Piotr struggled to comprehend the mission's purpose, observing Ferenc's indifference towards the survivors. The Deputy Minister tasked Piotr with identifying the bodies, which proved gruesome and distressing.
As Piotr painstakingly identified his peers by name, Ferenc and his team uncovered more remains. The Deputy Minister inquired about Captain Ułasiewicz's fate, but it was later concluded that he had not been found. At school, Aga learned of the incident and was escorted home by her friend, where she declared her conviction that her father was still alive.
In Germany, Veronika tended to Witek's every need, administering sleep medication to ease his anxiety. He pleaded with her to stay by his side. That night, the bodies were transported to Poland, while the Deputy Minister issued a somber press statement, promising justice and imploring the media to allow mourning in peace. The bodies were laid out for families to identify, each one a painful reminder of the tragedy's toll.
The episode concluded with a poignant image of the woman with the baby Piotr had sent home, her search for her husband among the dead, her heart shattered by the hopelessness of her quest.
