Eight people on trial after fatal accident on Lake Biel
Published: Tuesday, Nov 7th 2023, 04:50
Updated At: Wednesday, Nov 8th 2023, 00:53
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Eight people will stand trial in Moutier BE from (today) Tuesday. They are allegedly responsible for the 2017 accident in the port of La Neuveville on Lake Biel, in which two women and a dog lost their lives.
The public prosecutor's office accuses the defendants of negligent homicide. Three of them are also accused of violating building regulations.
On May 15, 2017, a dog touched a fence in the port of La Neuveville and fell lifeless into the water. Its owner dived into the water to pull the animal out and suffered an electric shock in the process. A passer-by who tried to help suffered the same fate.
The accident caused a nationwide sensation. According to police reports at the time, several people also felt a jolt of electricity when they tried to help the victims. The fatalities were a 24-year-old woman from the canton of Bern and a 53-year-old Dutch woman who lived in the canton of Bern.
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 safety system of the electrical installation had not switched off automatically.
Omitting measures
On the one hand, the accused are the people who installed the affected section of the electrical system. On the other hand, former employees of the municipality are also affected. They are alleged to have modified the plant's safety system without first taking all the necessary measures.
The public prosecutor's office accuses them of failing to observe the precautionary rules and applicable regulations: "A proper inspection could have identified potential problems with the electrical system or the extension carried out in 2016."
The Bernese Jura-Seeland Regional Court will hear the complex case over nine days. The verdict is due to be announced on December 6.
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