A 64-year-old U.S. woman has died inside a controversial “Sarco” suicide capsule in Switzerland, prompting arrests and legal action. The space-age pod, filled with nitrogen to induce death by hypoxia, was used at a woodland retreat near the German border on Monday, despite warnings from Swiss authorities about its legality.
Swiss Interior Minister Elisabeth Baume-Schneider declared that the Sarco was “not legal,” citing issues with product safety and chemical regulations. Police in Schaffhausen canton responded by arresting several individuals involved in the operation. The pod, designed by right-to-die activist Philip Nitschke, was presented by the assisted dying organization “The Last Resort,” which described the woman’s death as “peaceful, fast, and dignified.”
The Sarco capsule has been the subject of heated ethical debate. Assisted suicide is legal in Switzerland, but active euthanasia is not. Swiss law requires that individuals end their own lives, without external intervention, which some argue the Sarco complies with. However, Swiss officials maintain that it violates key legal requirements, leading to the current criminal proceedings.
The woman, whose name has not been released, suffered from severe immune compromise, according to a statement from “The Last Resort.” The capsule, which costs about 15,000 euros, was secured at the scene for forensic analysis, while the public prosecutor’s office continues its investigation into aiding and abetting suicide.