Accidents | SUH: More people drowned in Finland in September than a year ago

in Finland eight people drowned during September, according to preliminary data collected by the Finnish Swimming Teaching and Lifesaving Association (SUH) through the media.

Two drownings occurred in connection with water transport and one as a result of falling into the water. In five cases, the course of events is not clear.

According to SUH’s preliminary statistics, five people drowned in September last year.

An expert dangerous situations are created by the cooling water in autumn. A cooler-than-usual September accelerates the cooling of water bodies.

“At the moment, cold water and changing weather conditions are the biggest danger factors for people moving on and near the water. Cold water makes you stiff and falling into the water, especially without protective equipment, can be fatal very quickly,” says the SUH lifesaving expert Anne Hiltunen in the bulletin.

According to Hiltunen, falling into cold water often causes a shock reaction, and a person’s ability to hold their breath decreases from the normal 60–90 seconds to a few seconds.

“This substantially increases the risk of drowning.”

According to SUH, 79 people have drowned in Finland between January and September.

In Finland, around 100–150 people accidentally drown each year, of which, according to statistics, around half are under the influence of alcohol.