Charges filed against spa CEO and employee after woman drowns in ice swimming hole

A spa director and an employee in eastern Finland face charges of negligent homicide after a woman drowned in an ice swimming hole due to a powerful water current created by a pump, public broadcaster Yle reports.

The incident occurred in December 2023 at the Kalmalahden winter swimming site in Leppävirta, where a woman was swimming alone. According to prosecutors, she failed to turn off a water pump designed to keep the hole ice-free, which generated a current so strong she could not escape. The woman drowned as a result.

Prosecutors have charged Vesileppis spa CEO Esa Pekka Salmiheimo and an unnamed employee with causing death through negligence and violating health and safety regulations. The spa is owned by a municipal subsidiary of Leppävirta.

Investigators allege Vesileppis failed to assess risks associated with the swimming site and did not ensure user safety. The pump, intended for keeping boat harbors ice-free, was installed against manufacturer guidelines, which explicitly warn against entering the water while the device is operating. The placement of the pump also directed swimmers away from the exit stairs.

Both defendants deny wrongdoing, stating that written instructions at the site warned swimmers to turn off the pump before entering and to avoid swimming alone. They also claim the woman received verbal instructions upon arrival and note that health inspectors had annually approved the facility. The defendants argue similar pumps are widely used at comparable sites, with risks arising only if guidelines are ignored.

Prosecutors counter that the danger posed by the pump was severe enough that safety measures could not be left to customers. They maintain that Vesileppis, as the service provider, bore full responsibility for ensuring safe conditions.

The municipal-owned Vesileppis spa and leisure center remains operational under Leppävirta’s oversight through its subsidiary, Leppäkerttu Oy.