Five dead in separate accidents across eastern Finland

By admin On Jul 6, 2025

Photo: ICPonline

Three people died in road accidents and two are presumed drowned in eastern Finland on Saturday, marking one of the most fatal days of the summer so far.

Two adults were killed around midday on Vaalimaa road near Lappeenranta when their car veered into the path of a delivery truck. The vehicle hit a light pole and overturned. Two people from the truck were hospitalised with minor injuries. The road was partially closed until late afternoon.

In a separate incident at 2am, a 17-year-old boy died in Lappeenranta after his light motorcycle crashed into a light pole on Lentokentäntie. Police have not released further details.

Further north in Nurmes, two middle-aged men are believed to have drowned following a boating accident on Lake Haapajärvi. Five adults were on board a small aluminium rowboat designed for four. They went out in poor weather and all were reportedly intoxicated. None wore life jackets.

The boat capsized in strong winds during the early hours. Three passengers swam to safety. One body was recovered, while the fifth person remains missing and is presumed dead. The search was halted on Saturday due to poor underwater visibility.

“This is a truly typical case,” said Anne Hiltunen, water safety expert at the Finnish Swimming Teaching and Lifesaving Federation. She cited a 2022 investigation by the Safety Investigation Authority that highlighted the risks of small boats, alcohol, and lack of life jackets, particularly involving older men.

So far this year, at least 40 people have drowned in Finland. Eight of those deaths occurred in June, the lowest number recorded in over two decades. Hiltunen said cooler, rainier weather likely reduced the number of water-related incidents. In contrast, drownings in the first four months of 2025 more than doubled compared to the same period in 2024.

Source: www.helsinkitimes.fi