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Statistics on water traffic accidents

May 18, 2022 at 7:34, updated April 27, 2026 at 15:59

The statistics on water traffic accidents include merchant shipping and recreational boating accidents in Finland’s territorial waters and nearby international waters. The statistics also include accidents that Finnish vessels have been involved in abroad that Traficom has been informed of. The data are updated once a year. The information is produced by the Finnish Transport and Communications Agency Traficom.

According to the annual statistics on waterway accidents, there were 32 fatal recreational boating accidents in 2025. These accidents claimed the lives of 34 people, which was one person less than in 2024.

STATISTICS ON WATER TRAFFIC ACCIDENTS ARE COMPILED BY SEVERAL OPERATORS

Operators in the water traffic safety sector compile statistics on their own operations. Some of these statistics touch on water traffic accidents. Statistics on water traffic safety are produced by e.g. the Finnish Border Guard, the Finnish Lifeboat Institution and Rescue Services (Pelastustoimi). The Finnish Border Guard compiles statistics on its own sea rescue operations, the Finnish Lifeboat Institution on the operations of its local associations and Rescue Services on its own rescue operations. In addition, the Finnish Swimming Teaching and Lifesaving Federation compiles statistics on drowning accidents based on media coverage. One of the categories is drownings in boating accidents. Previously, there have not been statistics that focus only on water traffic and combine the data collected by the most significant operators.

Note! From 2021 onwards, statistics on water traffic accidents have only been published in Traficom’s statistics database service.

According to preliminary data, 34 persons died in recreational boating accidents in January–December 2025. This is one person less than in the same period of 2024.

Fatalities in recreational boating accidents, advance information January-December 2025

DATA SOURCELINK
Traficom map service-
Traficom website-
Other services-
EnquiriesContact form: Statistical data services

TITLEStatistics on water traffic accidents
PRODUCERThe Finnish Transport and Communications Agency Traficom
DESCRIPTIONThe statistics on water traffic accidents help improve the safety of seafaring both at the national and international level. The data is used to improve the safety of merchant shipping and pleasure boating through e.g. legislative means and educational work. The data is mainly utilised by the Finnish Transport and Communications Agency (Traficom), which also uses the statistics as a strategic performance indicator. The data is also utilised by other national operators contributing to the safety of seafaring, such as the Finnish Border Guard, the Police, Rescue Services and the Safety Investigation Authority. The international use of the statistics is related to Directive 2009/18/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 23 April 2009 establishing the fundamental principles governing the investigation of accidents in the maritime transport sector and amending Council Directive 1999/35/EC and Directive 2002/59/EC, which obliges Member States to report all water traffic accidents involving a merchant ship to the European Marine Casualty Information Platform (EMCIP).
DATA CONTENT

Traficom’s statistics on water traffic accidents include merchant shipping and recreational boating accidents in Finland’s territorial waters and nearby international waters. The statistics also include accidents that Finnish vessels have been involved in abroad that Traficom has been informed of.

The statistics cover all merchant shipping and recreational boating accidents in Finland’s territorial waters and nearby international waters of which the operators providing the statistical data are aware. The statistics also include accidents that Finnish vessels have been involved in abroad that Traficom has been informed of. The statistics cover fatal accidents by 100 per cent, thanks to the incorporation of data provided by authorities and data on cause of death.

Regarding accidents other than fatal accidents, the statistics cover all water traffic accidents of which the operators providing statistical data are aware, with the exception of the independent operations of Rescue Services. If an emergency centre operating under Rescue Services has alerted one of the other operators providing statistical data, the operation is included in the statistics. There are many such operations included in the data provided by the Finnish Lifeboat Institution and the Police.

DATA COLLECTION METHOD

The statistics cover all merchant shipping and recreational boating accidents in Finland’s territorial waters and nearby international waters of which the operators providing the statistical data are aware. The statistics also include accidents that Finnish vessels have been involved in abroad that Traficom has been informed of. The statistics cover fatal accidents by 100 per cent, thanks to the incorporation of data provided by authorities and data on cause of death.

Regarding accidents other than fatal accidents, the statistics cover all water traffic accidents of which the operators providing statistical data are aware, with the exception of the independent operations of Rescue Services. If an emergency centre operating under Rescue Services has alerted one of the other operators providing statistical data, the operation is included in the statistics. There are many such operations included in the data provided by the Finnish Lifeboat Institution and the Police.

CLASSIFICATIONS USEDStatistics on water traffic accidents are compiled by accident type, water area, watercraft type, accident month, weekday and time, and the age group and sex of the persons involved.
UPDATING FREQUENCYAnnually.
TIME OF COMPLETION AND RELEASEAnnual statistics are published in late May. Forward estimates are published in late May, September and January.
TIME SERIESData available since 2010.
KEYWORDS 
CONTACT INFORMATIONContact form: Statistical data services
FURTHER INFORMATION 

DATA SOURCELINK
Traficom map service-
Traficom website-
Other services-
EnquiriesContact form: Statistical data services

TITLEStatistics on water traffic accidents
PRODUCERThe Finnish Transport and Communications Agency Traficom
DESCRIPTIONThe statistics on water traffic accidents help improve the safety of seafaring both at the national and international level. The data is used to improve the safety of merchant shipping and pleasure boating through e.g. legislative means and educational work. The data is mainly utilised by the Finnish Transport and Communications Agency (Traficom), which also uses the statistics as a strategic performance indicator. The data is also utilised by other national operators contributing to the safety of seafaring, such as the Finnish Border Guard, the Police, Rescue Services and the Safety Investigation Authority. The international use of the statistics is related to Directive 2009/18/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 23 April 2009 establishing the fundamental principles governing the investigation of accidents in the maritime transport sector and amending Council Directive 1999/35/EC and Directive 2002/59/EC, which obliges Member States to report all water traffic accidents involving a merchant ship to the European Marine Casualty Information Platform (EMCIP).
DATA CONTENT

Traficom’s statistics on water traffic accidents include merchant shipping and recreational boating accidents in Finland’s territorial waters and nearby international waters. The statistics also include accidents that Finnish vessels have been involved in abroad that Traficom has been informed of.

The statistics cover all merchant shipping and recreational boating accidents in Finland’s territorial waters and nearby international waters of which the operators providing the statistical data are aware. The statistics also include accidents that Finnish vessels have been involved in abroad that Traficom has been informed of. The statistics cover fatal accidents by 100 per cent, thanks to the incorporation of data provided by authorities and data on cause of death.

Regarding accidents other than fatal accidents, the statistics cover all water traffic accidents of which the operators providing statistical data are aware, with the exception of the independent operations of Rescue Services. If an emergency centre operating under Rescue Services has alerted one of the other operators providing statistical data, the operation is included in the statistics. There are many such operations included in the data provided by the Finnish Lifeboat Institution and the Police.

DATA COLLECTION METHOD

The statistics cover all merchant shipping and recreational boating accidents in Finland’s territorial waters and nearby international waters of which the operators providing the statistical data are aware. The statistics also include accidents that Finnish vessels have been involved in abroad that Traficom has been informed of. The statistics cover fatal accidents by 100 per cent, thanks to the incorporation of data provided by authorities and data on cause of death.

Regarding accidents other than fatal accidents, the statistics cover all water traffic accidents of which the operators providing statistical data are aware, with the exception of the independent operations of Rescue Services. If an emergency centre operating under Rescue Services has alerted one of the other operators providing statistical data, the operation is included in the statistics. There are many such operations included in the data provided by the Finnish Lifeboat Institution and the Police.

CLASSIFICATIONS USEDStatistics on water traffic accidents are compiled by accident type, water area, watercraft type, accident month, weekday and time, and the age group and sex of the persons involved.
UPDATING FREQUENCYAnnually.
TIME OF COMPLETION AND RELEASEAnnual statistics are published in late May. Forward estimates are published in late May, September and January.
TIME SERIESData available since 2010.
KEYWORDS 
CONTACT INFORMATIONContact form: Statistical data services
FURTHER INFORMATION