Sadness and anger at the trial after fatal accident on Lake Biel
Published: Tuesday, Nov 7th 2023, 17:40
Updated At: Wednesday, Nov 8th 2023, 00:54
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More than six years after the death of two women in the port of La Neuveville BE, the trial of eight defendants began on Tuesday. They have to answer to the court in Moutier for involuntary manslaughter.
The tragedy on May 15, 2017 caused consternation throughout Switzerland. A 24-year-old military dog handler from La Neuveville had jumped into Lake Biel to save her dog. She had previously touched a fence, whereupon she fell into the water and lay lifeless.
The young woman also lost consciousness. A 53-year-old Dutch tourist, who had witnessed the incident, jumped into the lake to help her. She suffered the same fate. Both women and the dog were killed by the electric shock.
"I am still very sad and angry," said the young woman's visibly upset mother in court on Tuesday. She has been waiting for over six years to find out what really happened. "I hope for a conviction for involuntary manslaughter."
The father is also hoping for justice, as he said in court. In his opinion, there had been serious professional misconduct.
"I have lost my daughter, I have lost the friendship between the defendants and us. These people have to answer for their mistakes," he told the regional court. The parents have lived in La Neuveville for 40 years, as have some of the defendants.
Defective power cable
According to the public prosecutor's office, there had been a leak in the power supply caused by a damaged power cable on the harbor barrier. The electricity was then fed into the lake via a jetty. The circuit breaker had not worked.
All eight defendants are accused of involuntary manslaughter, three of them also of violating building regulations. The defendants face prison sentences of up to two years. The verdict will be announced on December 6.
The defendants are electricians and electrical fitters. On the one hand, they are the people who installed the section of the electrical system in question. On the other hand, former employees of the municipality are involved. They are alleged to have changed the safety system of the installation without all the necessary measures having been taken beforehand.
"I'm sorry"
The hearing of the first defendants by the single judge focused on technical issues, the responsibilities for monitoring compliance with the standards and the professional skills of each individual in the construction work.
"I blame myself, maybe I could have changed something," said one of the visibly moved defendants. Today he would do many things differently. "I'm sorry," he said to the parents, who had decided not to hire a lawyer.
Complex procedure
The pandemic and the complexity of the proceedings explain the long wait until the trial. Experts had to be consulted and various expert opinions were required. Appeals all the way to the Federal Supreme Court contributed to the long duration of the proceedings.
Because eight defendants are on trial and the trial has attracted a great deal of public interest, the hearings are taking place in the Sociét'halle. This is where the Moutier parliament normally meets.
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