At least 22 people lost their lives during Midsummer festivities over the weekend in Finland.
The Midsummer death toll was the highest in a decade, ever since 25 people died during the Midsummer of 2000.

According to the authorities, between Thursday evening and Sunday evening nine people drowned and eight died in road accidents. Additionally four people died in other accidents and one person was killed with a knife.

As usual, the police were kept busy by drunk drivers and fights around Finland over the weekend. However, the number of sea and lake rescue operations was at a slightly lower level than usual. The number of drowning was high despite the rainy weather on Friday, Midsummer's eve, which was expected to keep people indoors.

Finns traditionally take to the countryside during the Midsummer weekend, leading to congestion on the highways especially on Thursday and Sunday evenings. This, together with the equally traditional sauna and swimming and high levels of alcohol consumption, is chiefly responsible for a relatively high number of fatalities on Midsummer weekends.

STT
Picture: Str - Lehtikuva - Matti Ruottinen