On Saturday, a delivery van sank into the ice near the eastern harbor in Hanko, Finland, prompting an investigation by local authorities. The vehicle was positioned far from the shore in an area not designated as an official ice road, raising concerns about potentially dangerous ice conditions. Fortunately, three of the individuals quickly managed to escape, while the fourth was rescued shortly after, although the dog remained trapped in the sinking vehicle.

The local rescue service assisted in extracting the survivors from the ice and transported them to safety for medical evaluations. The incident has raised alarms not only due to the peril faced by the individuals but also because the area is marked on Hanko's map as having particularly unpredictable ice. The police are now conducting a criminal investigation to determine if any wrongdoing was involved, particularly assessing whether the driver of the vehicle acted recklessly.

Detective Jutta Saarinen, serving as the acting investigator for the West Uusimaa police department, has confirmed that all individuals involved were Finnish citizens. The investigation aims to ascertain if the circumstances met the legal definitions of causing danger, which could lead to further legal consequences depending on the findings regarding the driver's actions during the incident.