Court acquits spa CEO in fatal ice swimming accident, rules safety instructions were sufficient

A district court in eastern Finland has dismissed charges of negligent homicide and health violations against the CEO of a well-known spa and an employee after an elderly woman drowned in an ice swimming hole in 2023, ruling that the victim had received adequate safety instructions.

The North Savo District Court found that Vesileppis spa, located in Leppävirta, had fulfilled its duty by providing the customer with both written and verbal guidelines, Yle reports. The instructions explicitly warned against swimming alone and advised turning off the water pump—used to keep the hole ice-free—before entering.

Prosecutors had argued that the pump created a dangerously strong current, preventing the 80-year-old woman from exiting the water. They also claimed the spa had ignored the manufacturer’s safety guidelines for the equipment. However, the court determined that the spa had clearly communicated the risks and proper procedures to the victim.

The ruling is not yet legally binding. CEO Esa Pekka Salmiheimo had declined to comment on the case prior to the verdict.

In a separate investigation, Finland’s Safety and Chemicals Agency (Tukes) previously concluded that the spa was aware of the pump’s hazards but had shifted responsibility to customers.

The accident prompted Vesileppis to revise its ice swimming facilities following the fatality.