Rescue authorities searched for a young person who fell into the water near the shore at Kalajoki’s Hiekkasärkät on 25 July 2025. Two youths have died and a third remains missing. Photo: Tuomas Nevalainen / Str / Lehtikuva
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Finnish police continue to search for a teenage boy missing off the coast of Kalajoki after a drowning incident that claimed the lives of two others on Friday. The three boys, aged 15 and 16, were not from the local area and had been playing in the sea when they were swept away from the shore.
The confirmed victims were both born in 2009. The missing boy, born in 2008, disappeared after the group drifted around 100 metres from the beach while playing with a ball. Witnesses reported the boys calling for help before submerging.
Attempts to rescue them were made by bystanders using stand-up paddleboards, but only two were recovered. Both were found lifeless in the water Friday evening. Their identities have been confirmed, though police have not yet matched each body to a name. The third boy remains unaccounted for.
Jan Sormunen, a senior investigator at Oulu Police Department, said there is no suspicion of a crime. The case is being treated as a death investigation. Search efforts resumed early Saturday with divers, boats and sonar equipment.
“The current conditions are challenging,” Sormunen said. “It’s warm and there are local thunderstorms, which complicate both air and sea operations.” He noted that submerged rocks, logs, and shifting sea currents make the search effort difficult.
Aerial searches and underwater scans were temporarily interrupted by thunderstorms on Saturday afternoon. Heavy rain cleared the beach area of visitors. Authorities have requested support from a volunteer diving unit and may deploy additional vessels from Oulu if necessary.
The boys had been swimming outside the designated buoyed area. The sandy seabed in the region is known to shift rapidly in depth, and sudden drop-offs are common. Emergency services were alerted shortly after the boys disappeared beneath the surface.
Rescue personnel from the Ostrobothnia fire service and the Western Finland Coast Guard responded immediately. Despite extensive efforts Friday evening, visibility and underwater hazards led to the search being suspended overnight.
Kalajoki authorities confirmed that crisis support services have been mobilised. The city and local welfare services have stationed staff at the Surffari restaurant near the campsite where the incident occurred. Support workers are available on site throughout the weekend.
The Evangelical Lutheran Church of Kalajoki has also organised memorial events. A service was held at Kalajoki church Saturday evening, with a second remembrance gathering planned for Sunday at Surffari. Youth workers from the municipality will also attend.
Police say their primary goal remains to locate the missing teenager. “All other elements of the investigation will follow once that has been achieved,” Sormunen said.
Friday’s incident contributed to a particularly deadly day in Finnish waters. At least six drownings were reported nationwide, including separate accidents in Espoo and Lahti.
Finnish weather officials warn that inland waters remain dangerous due to changing conditions and increased beach traffic during the heatwave. The Kalajoki shoreline, known for its long, shallow beaches, can quickly become hazardous under the right mix of currents, wind and human activity.
HT
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Source: www.helsinkitimes.fi
