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flag Students in Finland use a hovercraft to cross frozen sea to school after ferry routes closed due to record ice.

flag In Pargas, Finland, students including 12-year-old Hugo Wickstrom, nine-year-old Julia Jalkanen, and eight-year-old Nils-Johan Ostman are using a hovercraft named “Snovit” to commute to school across the frozen Baltic Sea after unusually thick ice blocked regular ferry routes. flag This marks the third time in 15 years such a measure has been taken, due to record ice coverage in the region, the most extensive since 2011. flag State-owned Finferries deployed hovercrafts to replace ferries, cutting travel time from hours to just 10 minutes. flag The vessels, capable of gliding over ice and snow, require skilled piloting amid shifting weather and fog. flag While such extreme ice is now rare due to climate change, long-term trends show declining maximum ice cover, with the lowest levels recorded in 2020. flag As spring arrives, sea ice will melt, restoring normal maritime traffic and seasonal travel patterns.

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