Finnish emergency app failed during drone alert, officials apologise

The Finnish Emergency Response Agency’s 112 Suomi app malfunctioned during Friday’s drone threat alert, leaving some users without warnings and displaying outdated information, the agency has confirmed.

According to reports to public broadcaster Yle, many users did not receive any alert about the threat, while others only saw the “danger over” notification after opening the app. The app also continued to show the alert as active long after authorities had declared the situation resolved at 7:06 AM—some users reported the “all clear” message only appeared at 8:12 AM, over an hour later. Additionally, the map in the alert incorrectly outlined the affected Uusimaa region.

Taito Vainio, director-general of the Emergency Response Agency, acknowledged a technical failure prevented the “danger over” notification from being sent through the app. “The issue is under investigation,” Vainio told Yle, calling the situation “unfortunate” and offering an apology.

Vainio noted that some users may not have received alerts due to outdated app versions, disabled location services, or incorrect notification settings. However, the agency has also received reports of failures even when settings were correct. “If that’s the case, we will examine why,” he said.

With conflicting information in the app for over an hour, Vainio advised relying on multiple official channels, such as television broadcasts, during emergencies. “No system is 100 percent foolproof,” he said, emphasising that redundancies are necessary for critical alerts.

The 112 Suomi app, developed by the Emergency Response Agency, has around two million active users, according to the Ministry of the Interior. The drone threat alert had urged residents in Uusimaa to stay indoors.