Switzerland: Trial Begins Over Fatal 2017 Bondo Rockslide
- Nearly nine years after an enormous rockslide nearly buried the village of Bondo in the Swiss canton of Graubünden, five defendants are facing trial for negligent homicide.
- The catastrophe struck on August 23, 2017, when more than three million cubic metres of rock detached from the Piz Cengalo mountain.
- According to coverage of the Swiss proceedings, five defendants are now facing trial in connection with the fatalities.
Nearly nine years after an enormous rockslide nearly buried the village of Bondo in the Swiss canton of Graubünden, five defendants are facing trial for negligent homicide. According to reporting from 20 Minuten and regional coverage, the August 2017 disaster claimed the lives of eight hikers in the Bondasca valley.
The August 2017 Disaster at Piz Cengalo
The catastrophe struck on August 23, 2017, when more than three million cubic metres of rock detached from the Piz Cengalo mountain. According to verified reports, the massive debris tore down the Bondasca lateral valley as a destructive torrent of mud and stone. The flow rushed perilously close to Bondo, sparing the village from total destruction by a narrow margin. Authorities ordered the immediate evacuation of all 200 residents as the geological event unfolded. Despite the successful evacuation of the village itself, eight hikers caught in the surrounding valley paths tragically lost their lives in the mass movement.
Legal Proceedings and Negligent Homicide Charges
According to coverage of the Swiss proceedings, five defendants are now facing trial in connection with the fatalities. Prosecutors have brought charges of homicide by negligence against the individuals standing trial.