59 drown in Finland in 6 months

At least 59 people have drowned in water in the country so far this year, reported the national broadcaster Yle quoting the Finnish Swimming Teaching and Lifesaving Federation (Suomen Uimaopetus- ja Hengenpelastusliitto ry-SUH/ FSL).

People have been spending more time outside due to scorching heat and the recent coronavirus situation.

The last incidents of drowning took place on Friday in Helsinki’s Hietaniemi Beach and Tampere’s Näsijärvi Lake that saw two people dead.

Eight people drowned across the country during the midsummer.

The Yle report quoted FSL Secretary-General Kristiina Heinonen as saying that it was unusual that some of the holiday weekend drowning happened in close proximity of a beach.

Until May this year, 40 people drowned in the country, which is termed unusually high in five months.

Heinonen also told Yle that the relatively large number of 19 ice-drowning incidents thisyear have also contributed to the high tally.