Canyoning accident in the Saxetbach is still upsetting today
Published: Friday, Jul 19th 2024, 09:50
Updated At: Saturday, Jul 27th 2024, 09:51
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25 years ago, a serious canyoning accident in the Bernese Oberland shook the world. A group of adventurous young tourists and their guides were caught in a tidal wave in the Saxetbach. 21 people lost their lives.
A violent thunderstorm erupted in the funnel-shaped catchment area of the Saxetbach on July 27, 1999 at around 4:30 pm. Within a short time, the stream swelled considerably.
At this time, there were four groups from a canyoning company with a total of 45 tourists in the torrent. The two middle groups and one person from the first group were caught in the tidal wave of water, rocks and branches.
In Bönigen on Lake Brienz, rescue workers and media representatives were presented with a scene of horror in the early evening. The Lütschine river washed the bodies from the Saxetbach gorge into the lake. 16 men and 5 women from Australia, New Zealand, England, South Africa and Switzerland had drowned in the tidal wave.
The decision
The guides had checked the weather before the groups set off and judged the tour to be feasible. However, from the starting point in the Saxetbach gorge, they could not see that a thunderstorm was brewing in the catchment area.
As the tidal wave approached, they tried to rescue as many tourists as possible from the stream. Two guides paid for their brave efforts with their lives.
The question of guilt
After the accident, the question of guilt was hotly debated. Two and a half years after the disaster, a trial was held against those responsible. The guides were acquitted.
The bosses of the provider company were sentenced to conditional prison terms for involuntary manslaughter. The court found that they had breached their duty of care.
The risk sports business had just really taken off in the Bernese Oberland. There was a gold-rush atmosphere in the industry. There were hardly any rules.
The teachings
This was to change in the years following the accident in Saxetbach - the training of guides was put on a solid footing, and since 2014 commercial providers have been subject to the Risk Sports Act. This was tightened in 2019.
Since then, every provider has been deemed to be a professional from the first franc of turnover and must obtain a corresponding cantonal license. Previously, the limit was CHF 2,300 per year.
The business
Outdoor activities continue to be an important branch of tourism in the Bernese Oberland. Interlaken and its surroundings in particular are a hotspot for adventure-seeking people from all over the world. Thanks to its topography and easy accessibility, the region has made a name for itself among extreme sports enthusiasts.
Away from the hustle and bustle, a large stone stands in a quiet spot by the Saxetbach stream. Engraved on it are the names of the 21 young people who paid for the adventure with their lives in 1999.
©Keystone/SDA
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