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203:, and Switzerland died. 48 people from 2 coach tour parties had opted to do a side activity of canyoning where you float, swim and climb through an area, such as a gorge. It was organized by Adventure World, a now defunct company who were located in Wilderswil, not far from Saxeten. Shortly into the experience, flash floods began pouring through the gorge and 21 people within the group were swept to their deaths. 18 were tourists and 3 were canyon guides. The authorities were alerted to the incident when a local jogger spotted bodies in Lake Brienz.
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before undertaking the experience. A number of survivors opted 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
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Following the incident, there was significant criticism of the organiser
Adventure World, noting their ignorance toward the storm warnings issued. Swiss authorities were quick to blame profit making and general negligence as the cause of the accident. The Swiss government also suspended all canyoning
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The survivors were rescued and then questioned by Swiss police before being released and returned to their hotel at 1am the next morning. Identifying the dead bodies was a challenge as many were badly traumatized, and bereft of personal belongings as jewellery, watches and identifiers were removed
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in connection to the deaths. 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
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accident. In
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572:"Undertaking to the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission given for the purposes of Section 87B"
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In 2000, Adventure World ceased trading following an incident where an
American tourist was killed in a
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expeditions until a full investigation had taken place. A permanent memorial was opened between
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468:"Memorial service held for victims of Swiss canyoning disaster"
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577:. Australian Competition and Consumer Commission. 2002
518:"Managers deny responsibility for canyoning tragedy"
403:"WorldEurope Swiss try to identify canyon victims"
450:"World Europe Swiss move against danger holidays"
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331:"World Europe River disaster kills at least 18"
183:On 27 July 1999, there was an accident in the
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554:"Tour firm staff guilty of Swiss deaths"
421:"Criticism grows of disaster gorge trip"
500:"Canyoning trial to open in Interlaken"
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349:"World Europe Canyon death toll rises"
155:. It is a left tributary of the river
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536:"Six guilty in Swiss canyon deaths"
366:Victims battered beyond recognition
288:The Saxetbach joining the Lütschine
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153:Switzerland
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45:Switzerland
640:Categories
312:Case Study
294:References
217:Wilderswil
209:Graubünden
165:Wilderswil
145:Interlaken
79:46°39′34″N
454:bbc.co.uk
407:bbc.co.uk
353:bbc.co.uk
335:bbc.co.uk
189:Australia
157:Lütschine
141:Saxetbach
132:North Sea
116:Lütschine
62:Lütschine
22:Saxetbach
369:Archived
315:Archived
211:region.
82:7°52′3″E
36:Location
607:5 April
581:5 April
540:cnn.com
197:England
161:Saxeten
147:in the
41:Country
239:Photos
171:, the
169:ravine
575:(PDF)
128:Rhine
57:Mouth
609:2013
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139:The
124:Aare
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233:CHF
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