Passenger vessel runs aground in Outokumpu, evacuation underway
A passenger vessel has run aground in Outokumpu, prompting an evacuation of all 30 passengers on board, the North Karelia Rescue Department reports. No injuries have been reported in the incident.
The rescue department received an alert about the water traffic accident before 3:30 p.m. on Sunday, according to Iltalehti and MTV Uutiset. Ilta-Sanomat reports that the alert was received at approximately 4:30 p.m., though all sources confirm the incident occurred on Sunday afternoon.
The evacuation of passengers began shortly after the alert, with the rescue department estimating the operation would take around two hours (Iltalehti, Ilta-Sanomat). Yle reports that the evacuation is currently underway, with no further details on its progress.
The cause of the grounding has not been disclosed by authorities. The North Karelia Rescue Department is leading the response effort.