A patrol boat attached to the Gulf of Finland Coast Guard patrol ship Turva has sunk off Loviisa, claiming the life of one of the three crew.
On Saturday evening the boat hit the sea bed, rupturing the hull, and quickly filled with water, sinking so that only the bow of the vessel was visible.
Coast guard patrols, a border guard helicopter and police, fire and ambulance services arrived on the scene.
Two of the three crew on board were freed, but one remained inside the sinking boat for longer. Once freed, the third coast guard was taken to hospital by helicopter.
Petteri Blomvall of the Gulf of Finland's coast guard command said that the third crew member was pronounced dead in hospital.
The boat that sank was a 10-metre craft that was used for different coast guard duties, according to Blomvall.
Police investigate cause of death
The eastern Uusimaa police district will take care of the investigation, according to STT. The Safety Investigation Authority (Finnish acronym Otkes) told STT that they had made initial inquiries in relation to the accident.
Coast guard units, police departments and emergency services have all expressed their condolences over the death, as did Interior Minister Maria Ohisalo on Twitter.
"Sad news from last night. Condolences to loved ones and colleagues," Ohisalo wrote.