A sign at Kallahden beach in Helsinki on 2 August 2025 provides emergency instructions in several languages and reminds visitors to supervise children. Photo: Jussi Nukari / Str / Lehtikuva
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A total of 28 people drowned in Finland in July, making it the deadliest month for water-related fatalities this year. The number marks a steep increase from July 2024, when 16 deaths were recorded, according to preliminary figures from the Finnish Swimming Teaching and Lifesaving Federation (FSL).
The spike followed an extended period of extreme heat, with daytime temperatures consistently reaching above 30 degrees Celsius in many areas for three consecutive weeks. The FSL confirmed the trend on Saturday, attributing the rise to increased risk behaviour around water during hot weather.
“Based on statistics, heatwaves increase the number of drownings,” said Kristiina Heinonen, Executive Director of the FSL.
Of the July deaths, 16 occurred while swimming, eight were linked to water traffic, and the circumstances of four remain unclear.
Drowning incidents rose sharply on 25 July, which coincided with Drowning Prevention Day. At least seven people died in separate incidents that day, according to the FSL.
Among the fatalities was a 15-year-old boy who drowned off the coast of Kallahti in eastern Helsinki on Saturday afternoon. He was reported missing around 4.30pm and was later found lifeless about 50 metres from the shoreline. A memorial candle and flowers have since been placed on the beach.
On the same day, a Finnish wrestling club announced that one of its youth competitors had drowned. The club did not provide the victim’s name but clarified that the death occurred separately from the Kallahti case. The wrestler had won medals at national youth championships.
Close calls were also reported across the country. In Oulu, two teenage girls were rescued at Nallikari Beach after disappearing below the surface. In Kuopio, a person was pulled to safety after a jet ski struck a rock.
So far this year, 68 people have drowned in Finland, up from 59 during the same period in 2024, a rise of over 15 percent.
Heinonen warned that the number of serious incidents involving children has also increased. “At least four children were resuscitated in July. These are not included in the fatality statistics, but they were life-threatening situations,” she said.
The FSL notes that drownings typically involve older adults or working-age individuals. This summer, however, the proportion of minors involved in fatal or near-fatal water incidents has grown.
Heinonen also raised concerns over swimming ability among young people, pointing to declining water safety education. “Adults are ultimately responsible for supervising children near water,” she said.
In June, Finland saw just eight drowning deaths, down from 23 the previous year, due to cooler weather. In May, only two fatalities were reported, compared to 2024’s higher tally.
The FSL further reported that many near-drownings this summer involved individuals with immigrant backgrounds, though it did not release further demographic details.
The organisation has urged increased public awareness and preventive measures as summer conditions continue to draw crowds to beaches, lakes, and rivers across the country.
HT
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Source: www.helsinkitimes.fi
