Midsummer drowning statistics Finland reveal a remarkable drop in fatalities over the holiday weekend. Only one drowning was recorded, making this one of the safest Midsummer periods in the past five decades, according to the Finnish Swimming Teaching and Lifesaving Federation (FSL).
An elderly man lost his life to drowning on Thursday evening in North Karelia. As of Sunday morning, authorities had no reports of additional drowning incidents anywhere else in Finland. The FSL highlighted that this marks only the third time in fifty years that just a single drowning took place during the Midsummer weekend.
Between 2015 and 2024, the yearly average number of drownings during Midsummer was six. The FSL data points out that 80 percent of drowning victims were men and the majority of cases happened in eastern parts of Finland. These facts help direct safety measures to high-risk groups and regions.
Police recorded three deaths linked to traffic accidents throughout the Midsummer holiday. Law enforcement dealt with more incidents than last year, including disorderly conduct, drunk driving, and collisions. Despite these challenges, the volume of road traffic was somewhat lighter compared to previous Midsummers.
Traffic levels surged on Sunday afternoon as many travelers made their way back from holiday destinations. Fintraffic, the traffic management agency, reported the heaviest congestion around 4 pm. Earlier starts to summer holidays contributed to lighter road use overall this year.
The low number of drownings is a positive sign for Finland’s safety efforts during the busy Midsummer period. It remains important to keep educating and monitoring vulnerable groups and locations, especially in eastern Finland where drownings have historically been more common.
