Swiss police have launched a criminal investigation following the suspected death of a 64-year-old American woman inside a so-called “suicide capsule.”
The incident took place in the small town of Merishausen, near the German border, where the Sarco Pod was reportedly used for the first time in a public setting.
The device, designed to facilitate assisted suicide, has raised both legal and ethical concerns.
The Sarco Pod: A capsule for death
At the heart of this investigation is the Sarco Pod, a device designed to end lives through a simple yet highly controlled process.
Created by Philip Nitschke, an Australian doctor, the Sarco Pod allows users to take their lives by pressing a button that releases nitrogen gas into the sealed chamber, leading to unconsciousness and then death within minutes.
Nitschke, known for his long-standing advocacy for the right to die, stated on X that the woman had experienced “an idyllic, peaceful death in a Swiss forest.”
..an idyllic peaceful death in a Swiss forest where The Last Resort @tlrswiss used the Sarco device to help a US woman have the death she wanted..Lees dit artikel op de Volkskrant https://t.co/6DbKfmzYnC
— Philip Nitschke (@philipnitschke) September 24, 2024
As reported by DW, police received a tip-off about the incident on September 23 at 4:40 PM, reporting that the Sarco Pod had been used at a remote forest cabin.
A spokesperson from the Schaffhausen public prosecutor’s office confirmed that an investigation had been opened into suspected incitement and aiding and abetting of suicide.
Multiple people were arrested in connection with the incident, though their identities and involvement remain unclear.
The authorities, accompanied by forensic specialists, secured the Sarco capsule for examination, and the woman’s body was taken for an autopsy.
In a separate but related incident, a photographer covering the story for the Dutch newspaper de Volkskrant was detained after taking pictures of the capsule.
A peaceful end or a dangerous precedent?
The case has drawn international attention due to the involvement of Exit International, a nonprofit organization that advocates for the legalization of assisted suicide globally.
Florian Willet, a German scientist and a leading member of Exit International, was reportedly present during the American woman’s death.
Although it is not clear whether Willet was among those arrested, he described her passing as “peaceful, quick, and dignified.” Speaking to Swiss tabloid Blick, he also stated that the woman had been suffering from severe health problems related to an autoimmune condition.
Nitschke monitored the woman’s death via video link from Germany. He claimed that she lost consciousness within two minutes and passed away after five minutes.
“We saw jerky, small twitches of the muscles in her arms, but she was probably already unconscious by then,” Nitschke told de Volkskrant.
Before entering the Sarco Pod, the woman made a formal statement in the presence of a lawyer, Fiona Stewart, one of the directors of Last Resort and Nitschke’s spouse.
In her statement, the woman confirmed that she had chosen to end her life of her own volition and had the support of her family, including her two sons.
The woman had reportedly been battling a debilitating illness for over two years and had expressed a desire to die due to the intense pain she experienced daily.
The future of assisted suicide technology
Exit International has claimed that the Sarco Pod offers a more affordable and accessible option for those seeking assisted suicide, especially for individuals traveling to Switzerland for this purpose. Switzerland allows foreign nationals to seek assisted suicide, a practice not common in many other countries.
Organizations such as Dignitas have long facilitated such services, but Exit International argues that the Sarco Pod, a cheaper alternative to existing methods, could reduce costs.
While assisted suicide is legal in Switzerland, devices like the Sarco Pod are testing the boundaries of the law. With no need for medical professionals to administer the procedure, these capsules offer individuals a new level of control over their death.
However, this autonomy comes with significant risks. Critics argue that the potential for misuse, coercion, or inadequate oversight is high.
