Coast Guard member dies as patrol boat sinks in Loviisa

A Coast Guard personnel died as a patrol boat sank in the sea near Loviisa on late Saturday night, said the Finnish Border Guard in a press release on Sunday.

The accident took place at about 10:00 PM when a leakage developed in the vessel named Turva with a three-member crew on board after the boat’s hull had scrapped with the seabed. Water rushed into the boat through the leak and it sank immediately.

Although two of the crew members managed to escape, one remained stuck inside the boat.

Rescue services including Coast Guard patrols, a Border Guard helicopter, the police, fire and ambulance services rushed to the spot and recovered the crew member from the boat in a critical condition.

The crew member was taken to the Meilahti Hospital by a helicopter where doctors on duty declared him dead.

The eastern Uusimaa police are investigating into the accident.

The Coast Guard, the police and emergency services expressed profound shock at the death of the Coast Guard officer.

Interior Minister Maria Ohisalo in a Twitter post expressed her shock, too, following the accident.

“Sad news from last night. Condolences to loved ones and colleagues,” Ohisalo twitted in Finnish on Sunday morning.

The boat Turva was a 10-metre craft and used for different Coast Guard duties.