Upcoming thematic investigation to offer tools for preventing deaths by drowning
The Safety Investigation Authority, Finland, will initiate a themed investigation under the Safety Investigation Act into accidental drownings occurring in 2021.
The aim of the investigation is to collect the key information on all accidental drownings occurring in Finland from 1 January to 31 December 2021. Clear cases of homicide or suicide and deaths due to an illness will not be included in the investigation. The investigation focuses on drowning incidents and their characteristic factors. Its ultimate purpose is to improve public safety. In the investigation, the Safety Investigation Authority will issue safety recommendations that help target measures to reduce deaths by drowning.
The Safety Investigation Authority conducted the previous themed investigation into deaths by drowning ten years ago. The upcoming themed investigation will focus on the causes and backgrounds of deaths by drowning. From 2009 to 2018, more than 150 people per year drowned in Finland. A considerable number of the cases were related to spending time in or falling into natural bodies of water. The number of accidental drownings in Finland is comparable to the fire- and traffic-related deaths on the annual level, but similar attention as to fire and traffic safety, for example, has not been paid to preventing deaths by drowning.
It is estimated that the investigation report will be ready for publication in the summer of 2022.
Safety Investigator Timo Naskali is appointed as the Head of the Investigation Team. The experts Mika Hatakka (psychology), Juho Henttonen (police activities and investigation), Jussi Kangasmaa (technology), Ari Kurppa (diving and swimming instruction), Knut Lehtinen (rescue operations), Petri Pelkonen (police activities and investigation), Sami Raappana (maritime navigation), Antti Virtanen (medicine) and Mikko Virtanen (emergency medical service) are appointed as members of the team.
Chief Safety Investigator Kai Valonen of the Safety Investigation Authority will serve as the Investigator-in-Charge.
Further information:
Kai Valonen, Investigator-in-charge, tel. +358 2951 50707, Twitter: @KValonen
Veli-Pekka Nurmi, Executive Director, Professor, tel. +358 2951 50701, Twitter: @VPNurmi