Finnish authorities continue searching for two missing teenagers in Central Finland. Fourteen-year-old Nelli Ukkonen and fifteen-year-old Matias Tikka disappeared during Sunday night in Hankasalmi.
Police say the teens may be traveling in a red Seat Exeo vehicle with license plate XSY-529. They believe the pair left the Hankasalmi area by car.
Relatives reported the teenagers missing after losing contact with them around midnight on Sunday. Police officially announced the disappearance around 5 PM Sunday and released the teens' names and photographs with parental consent.
Criminal Commissioner Heidi Miettinen from Central Finland Police stated that authorities have received numerous public tips about the missing teens. None of the leads have yet resulted in finding them.
Police urge anyone with information to contact emergency number 112 immediately. They emphasize that when young people disappear, police consider it necessary to conduct active searches.
As of Monday noon, the situation remains unchanged. The extensive search operation continues across Central Finland.
The case highlights the challenges of locating missing persons in Finland's rural regions, where vast forest areas can complicate search efforts. Despite public assistance, the teenagers' whereabouts remain unknown nearly 24 hours after their disappearance.