At least three missing in remote Lapland over the past year – car found in river, driver still unaccounted for

Police in Lapland are investigating the disappearance of at least three people in the region’s remote areas over the past year, with the latest case involving a German woman whose empty car was found in the Tenniöjoki river near Salla’s Saija village on Monday, Yle reports.

Commissioner Mikko Pesola of Lapin Police said the woman, described as around 50 years old with dark brown, shoulder-length hair, remains missing despite searches and tips received. Authorities are now planning larger-scale ground searches but have not yet determined whether she may have entered the water or left the area.

Two other long-term disappearances remain unsolved. In November 2025, an elderly woman vanished from the Kiilopää hotel in Saariselkä. Last seen on 13 November, she is 165 cm tall, with grey hair, glasses, and was wearing a red jacket, black trousers, and carrying walking sticks at the time. Searches were called off after two days without results.

In March, a male cross-country trekker disappeared near Kilpisjärvi in Enontekiö. The over-70-year-old, with white hair and a beard, was last seen at Kilpisjärvi village before departing on his trip. He was wearing orange outdoor clothing and pulling an aluminium pulk. Harsh winter conditions, including strong winds and snowfall, have hampered search efforts, which received assistance from Norwegian authorities.

Pesola confirmed that both cases remain active, with recent large-scale searches conducted for the Kiilopää disappearance. He urged the public to provide any leads.

With summer and autumn drawing berry pickers, mushroom foragers, and hikers into Lapland’s wilderness, Pesola warned that the risk of new disappearances increases. He advised anyone heading into nature to inform others of their plans and prepare for changing weather and potential injuries.