Sailing Boat Runs Aground Near Helsinki, Rescued From Sinking

A sailing boat carrying three people ran aground on a rocky patch near Helsinki on Monday evening, prompting a rescue operation. The incident occurred around 8:30 p.m. between Kuninkaansaari island and Santahamina, according to the Gulf of Finland coast guard.

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The boat was in danger of sinking, as water had entered the vessel.

While no one on board was injured, the vessel began taking on water after hitting the rocks and was at risk of sinking. Multiple units from the coast guard, police, and rescue services were dispatched to the scene. Rescue teams successfully refloated the boat and towed it away from the hazardous area.

The boat still contains water, but the immediate danger of sinking has passed, coast guard officials reported. The cause of the accident is currently unknown. Conditions at the time were windy, with average wind speeds of about 10 meters per second and gusts exceeding 11 meters per second, according to the Finnish Meteorological Institute.

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The boat was freed from the rocks, and it was towed away from the scene.

Earlier on Monday, a water bus also experienced a grounding incident in the Helsinki area, hitting a shallow patch. That vessel managed to free itself and continue its journey without passengers being endangered or the boat sustaining damage. The coast guard is investigating the cause of the sailing boat incident.

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Although the boat still contains water, there is no longer any danger of it sinking.