In July, 16 people drowned in Finland, according to preliminary statistics published by the Finnish Swimming Teaching and Lifesaving Federation (FSL).
Of the drowned, 12 were men and one was a woman. The gender of the other three individuals was not reported.
Nine drownings occurred while swimming, one involved water transport, one was due to an accidental fall into the water, and the circumstances of five cases remain unclear.
Between 100 and 150 people drown in Finland every year according to the FSL.
FSL said in its release that it's crucial to regularly develop and maintain swimming skills safely, especially in light of the recent incident at Kuusijärvi in Vantaa, where two siblings were rescued unconscious — one of whom has died.
Several of the people who drowned in July were elderly individuals who had gone swimming or entered the water to cool off.
"For children, this means the constant supervision and presence of an adult. However, adults should also pay attention to their swimming safety and be aware of their own swimming skills and functional abilities," said Tero Savolainen, swimming instruction specialist at FSL.
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