A Finnish court has sentenced two military officers over a dangerous training exercise that nearly killed a 19-year-old female conscript. The incident occurred during a coastal ranger qualification test at Dragsvik garrison.
The 34-year-old lieutenant captain received a 30-day suspended prison sentence for service offense, gross negligence causing injury, and endangerment. A 22-year-old sergeant was fined €1,120 for negligent service offense, causing injury, and endangerment.
What went wrong during this military exercise? The sergeant ordered nine conscripts to remove their life jackets and exit their boat into water over two meters deep. The bottom was uneven and unable to support weight.
Conscripts carried equipment weighing over 30 kilograms including combat vests, backpacks, helmets, and overnight gear. None could reach the bottom.
The 19-year-old woman lost consciousness and sank to the seafloor. Rescuers took several minutes to locate and bring her to the surface.
Her heart stopped and she suffered severe hypothermia. Medical teams restored her circulation after more than 35 minutes of resuscitation.
The court found the lieutenant captain ignored safety regulations he should have followed. It also determined the sergeant should have understood he exposed conscripts to serious danger without justification.
The court ordered approximately €15,000 in damages to the conscripts, primarily payable by the State Treasury. The state and convicted officers must also cover tens of thousands in legal costs.
This case reveals troubling safety gaps in Finnish military training. Ordering heavily equipped soldiers into deep water without life jackets represents a clear failure of basic safety protocols.
The October 24 ruling from the Western Uusimaa District Court is not yet legally binding.