Several arrested after woman dies in ‘suicide pod’
Swiss police have made multiple arrests following the reported death of a woman who ended her life using a so-called suicide pod, marking what appears to be the first case of its kind.
Authorities in the Schaffhausen region stated they had arrested “several persons” on suspicion of inciting and aiding or abetting suicide after the woman allegedly used a pod manufactured by Sarco on Monday.
Although assisted dying is legally permitted under certain conditions in Switzerland, it is heavily regulated, and the Sarco pod has faced opposition.
Police recovered the device and the woman’s body at the scene.
The company behind the controversial pod claims it can be operated solely by the person wishing to end their life, without requiring medical supervision.
According to the police, the pod was used at a forest cabin in Merishausen, a remote area near the German border.
Authorities were alerted to the situation by a law firm, but the number of arrests, the identities of those detained, and the identity of the deceased have not been disclosed.
In July, a pro-assisted dying group that supports the use of the Sarco device indicated that it expected the pod to be used for the first time this year.
Advocates argue that the device offers an alternative to drug-based euthanasia and eliminates the need for doctors, expanding access to assisted death, as it can be 3D-printed and assembled at home.
Despite Switzerland’s liberal assisted dying laws, the Sarco pod has faced opposition within the country.
Critics fear the device’s modern design glamorises suicide and the fact that it can be operated without medical oversight is concerning.
Assisted dying is illegal in the UK and in most other European countries, but thousands have travelled to Switzerland over the years to end their own lives.
