Saxetbach

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Saxetbach
Map
Location
CountrySwitzerland
Physical characteristics
MouthLütschine
 • coordinates
46°39′34″N 7°52′3″E / 46.65944°N 7.86750°E / 46.65944; 7.86750
Basin features
ProgressionLütschine→ Lake Brienz→ Aare→ Rhine→ North Sea

The Saxetbach is a mountain river south of Interlaken in the Canton of Bern, Switzerland. It is a left tributary of the river Lütschine. It flows through the village Saxeten and joins the Lütschine in Wilderswil. It forms a narrow ravine, the Saxetbach Gorge.

1999 accident

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On 27 July 1999, there was an accident in the Saxetenbach Gorge, above the village of Saxeten, in which 21 young people from Australia, New Zealand, England, South Africa, and Switzerland died. 48 people from two tour parties were doing a canyoning activity (where participants float, swim and climb through a confined area like a canyon). The event was organized by the company Adventure World (based in nearby Wilderswil).

Shortly after the activity began, flash floods swept through the gorge, resulting in the deaths of 21 people in the group. 18 were tourists and 3 were canyon guides. Authorities were alerted when bodies were seen in Lake Brienz.[1][2][3]

The survivors were rescued and were questioned by police before being released.[1] Identifying the dead was difficult – many bodies were badly traumatized, and participants had removed personal effects before starting the excursion. A number of survivors were able to identify the dead at the mortuary, but many had to be identified through DNA and dental analysis. Around 150 officers were involved in the operation. It was Switzerland's worst whitewater accident since 1993 when 17 people died in an accident in the Graubünden region.[1][4][5][6]

Following the incident, there was significant criticism of the organiser Adventure World, noting their ignorance toward the storm warnings issued.[7] Swiss authorities were quick to blame profit making and general negligence as the cause of the accident.[8] The Swiss government also suspended all canyoning expeditions until a full investigation had taken place.[9] A permanent memorial was opened between Wilderswil and Saxeten in July 2000.[10]

In 2000, Adventure World ceased trading following an incident where an American tourist was killed in a bungee jumping accident.[11] In December 2001, eight staff at Adventure World, including managers Felix Oehler and Bernhard Gafner were tried for manslaughter in connection to the deaths.[12][13] Of the 8 staff trialled, six were found guilty of manslaughter through culpable negligence and given suspended sentences of between two and five months and fined between 4,000 and 7,500 CHF. Two tour guides were found not guilty, the judge declaring it was not their responsibility to cancel the excursion.[14][15][16][17]

Photos

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  • Saxetenbach disaster memorial
    Saxetenbach disaster memorial
  • Messages left by family and friends at the Saxetenbach disaster memorial
    Messages left by family and friends at the Saxetenbach disaster memorial
  • The Saxetenbridge across the Saxetbach connecting the walkway to Wilderswil
    The Saxetenbridge across the Saxetbach connecting the walkway to Wilderswil
  • The Saxetbach joining the Lütschine
    The Saxetbach joining the Lütschine

References

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  1. ^ a b c Case Study Archived 5 April 2005 at the Wayback Machine
  2. ^ "World Europe River disaster kills at least 18". bbc.co.uk.
  3. ^ "World Europe Canyon death toll rises". bbc.co.uk.
  4. ^ Victims battered beyond recognition Archived 5 August 2012 at the Wayback Machine
  5. ^ "Swiss river disaster: Black wall of water swept down the gorge, crushing everyone in its path". independent.co.uk.
  6. ^ "WorldEurope Swiss try to identify canyon victims". bbc.co.uk.
  7. ^ "Criticism grows of disaster gorge trip". theguardian.co.uk.
  8. ^ Profit drive blamed for disaster
  9. ^ "World Europe Swiss move against danger holidays". bbc.co.uk.
  10. ^ "Memorial service held for victims of Swiss canyoning disaster".
  11. ^ "Bungee jumping death case to go to court". swissinfo.ch.
  12. ^ "Canyoning trial to open in Interlaken". swissinfo.ch.
  13. ^ "Managers deny responsibility for canyoning tragedy". swissinfo.ch.
  14. ^ "Six guilty in Swiss canyon deaths". cnn.com.
  15. ^ "Tour firm staff guilty of Swiss deaths". theguardian.co.uk.
  16. ^ "Undertaking to the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission given for the purposes of Section 87B" (PDF). Australian Competition and Consumer Commission. 2002. Retrieved 5 April 2013.
  17. ^ "21 Menschen starben im Saxetbach". 20 Minuten Online (in German). 26 July 2009. Retrieved 5 April 2013.
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