Police investigate Woman (43) dies while stand-up paddling on the River Aare

Sven Ziegler

29.7.2024

The Bern police responded to the accident on Sunday. (archive picture)
The Bern police responded to the accident on Sunday. (archive picture)
sda

On Sunday evening, a woman died while stand-up paddling in the River Aare near Wichtrach. The Bern cantonal police have launched an investigation into the circumstances of the accident.

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  • On Sunday evening, a woman died while stand-up paddling in the River Aare near Wichtrach.
  • She was paddling with a man when they capsized and went under water.
  • Despite the rescue measures that were immediately initiated, the 43-year-old Swiss woman from the canton of Graubünden died in hospital.

The Bern cantonal police received a report shortly after 5.20 p.m. on Sunday that a lifeless person was in the Aare in Wichtrach.

According to the latest information, a woman and a man were each on a stand-up paddle board on the Aare at Thalgut when, for reasons still to be clarified, they both capsized and went underwater. The man was able to get out of the water on his own, while the woman got into difficulties in the water.

The man and third parties present were able to rescue the woman from the water and immediately began resuscitation. The life-saving measures were supported by first responders and emergency services from the Bern cantonal police and continued by an ambulance team before the woman was taken to hospital. Despite the immediately initiated rescue measures, the 43-year-old Swiss woman from the canton of Graubünden died in hospital.

In addition to the Bern Cantonal Police, two ambulance teams, the Care Team of the Canton of Bern and specialists from the Institute of Forensic Medicine at the University of Bern were deployed. The Bern cantonal police, under the direction of the Bern-Mittelland regional public prosecutor's office, began an investigation into the circumstances of the accident.