Horse-drawn carriage crashes in Switzerland, killing one and injuring 12

Sunday 16 - 10:27

By: Sahili Aya

Horse-drawn carriage crashes in Switzerland, killing one and injuring 12

A horse-drawn carriage excursion in eastern Switzerland ended in tragedy on Saturday after an accident in the Val Roseg left one woman dead and 12 passengers injured, including two seriously.

The incident occurred in the wooded Alpine valley in Graubünden, near the Italian border, where a group of around 40 people had gathered for an excursion, according to Swiss police.

Carriage loses control on a slope

The passengers were travelling in two separate horse-drawn groups. The carriage involved in the accident consisted of a lead vehicle followed by two passenger trailers.

According to police, the driver noticed while descending a slope that the carriage was not slowing sufficiently. He attempted to steer the three-horse team toward flatter ground in an effort to reduce its speed.

The manoeuvre quickly went wrong.

One of the horses fell at the beginning of the turn, causing the driver to lose control of the carriage. The vehicle then struck a tree with considerable force.

Passengers thrown from the vehicle

The impact caused several passengers to be thrown from the carriage.

Twelve people were injured, two of them seriously, while a 73-year-old woman died at the scene, police said. The authorities did not release the nationalities of those involved but said the passengers were residents of Switzerland.

The accident occurred in a mountainous environment where steep terrain and limited access can complicate emergency operations.

Major rescue operation

The scale of the incident prompted a substantial emergency response.

The injured passengers were taken to hospitals in the surrounding area using three helicopters and four ambulances.

Emergency crews treated the victims before transporting them from the Alpine valley for further medical care.

The operation involved both aerial and ground resources, reflecting the seriousness of the crash and the challenges associated with reaching an accident site in a remote mountainous setting.

Investigation under way

Swiss authorities have opened an investigation to establish the precise sequence of events and determine the circumstances that led to the loss of control.

Investigators will examine the condition of the carriage, its braking system and the circumstances surrounding the horse’s fall as they seek to establish why the vehicle was unable to slow down on the slope.

The accident has brought a tragic end to what had been a recreational outing in one of the Swiss Alps’ scenic valleys.