Inflatable boat accident on the Lahn: Two men convicted of negligent manslaughter
An inflatable boat capsized during flooding near Dautphetal – an 11-year-old boy died. Two companions have now been sentenced to suspended prison terms.
Suspended sentences following death of an eleven-year-old on the Lahn
Two men have been convicted by Biedenkopf District Court of negligent manslaughter and sentenced to nine and ten months' imprisonment respectively, suspended. They were aboard in February 2023 when an inflatable boat capsized on the Lahn near Dautphetal (Marburg-Biedenkopf district) during flooding, resulting in the death of an eleven-year-old boy. This is reported by giessener-allgemeine.de.
The boat capsized just 200 metres from the entry point at a weir. The two men – aged 36 and 32 at the time of sentencing – managed to reach the shore themselves. The boy was found hours after the capsizing and subsequently died in hospital.
The court established that negligent conduct was proven. Among other things, the route was not checked before departure despite existing flood warnings. The water temperature in the Lahn at the time of the incident was just five degrees Celsius.
Timeline: Search, death and investigation
On Saturday, 4 February 2023, the boat carrying three people capsized at approximately 13:15 hours for reasons initially unclear. Numerous emergency personnel and a helicopter searched between the districts of Friedensdorf and Buchenau for the missing child. At approximately 17:15 hours, the boy was recovered alive from the water and taken seriously injured to hospital – according to police, rescue operations had been hampered by difficult terrain and strong currents. During the night of Monday, 6 February, the eleven-year-old died.
Marburg Public Prosecutor's Office immediately initiated investigation proceedings on suspicion of negligent manslaughter against the two adult companions. Both underwent blood tests on the instruction of the public prosecutor to check for possible alcohol influence. The secured inflatable boat was retrieved from the water by rescue services and seized by police.
Autopsy rules out violent crime
On Wednesday, 8 February, a spokesperson for Marburg Public Prosecutor's Office announced following forensic examination that the boy had died "as a result of the incident". A violent crime was ruled out. Whether death had occurred through drowning or through the effects of the ice-cold water remained unclear at that time.
Also subject to the early investigation was the question of whether the inflatable boat was suitable for travel on the river under the conditions prevailing at that time. According to earlier reports, in addition to the boy, the mother's partner was also aboard the boat – a man then aged 31. The second companion was 35 years old at that time.
Verdict: Negligence in flooding conditions established
Biedenkopf District Court determined in its ruling of 16 May that the men should have checked the route before departure. The flooding situation was known, yet the route was not checked. The boat capsized shortly after embarking at a weir – under conditions that the court classified as foreseeable as dangerous.
The suspended sentences of nine and ten months imposed were not suspended from enforcement, but were pronounced as suspended sentences.
Source: Google News DE — Crime (de)