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American tourist dies in Fribourg balloon crash

A 55-year-old American man died and four others were seriously injured on Tuesday when a hot-air balloon crashed to the ground after hitting a power line in the canton of Fribourg, police said.

Published: 6 August 2013 12:33 CEST

American tourist dies in Fribourg balloon crash

File photo: carolynconner/Flickr

The man's 55-year-old wife, their two adult daughters and the 65-year-old Swiss pilot were hurt when the balloon fell about 50 metres (160 feet) near Montbovon, cantonal police said.

The family from California were vacationing in the region of the mountain resort of Gstaad, in the canton of Bern, the SDA news service reported.

The balloon had taken off from Château d'Oex, which is well known for its annual balloon festival.

At 8.35am, shortly before it was due to land near Monbovon, it hit a power line, police spokesman Pierre-André Waeber said.

The American man died on the spot despite rescuers' attempts at resuscitation.

The Malibu Times said he was a descendant of Malibu's founding family.

His wife and two daughters aged 20 and 24 were transported by helicopter to hospitals in Bern and Lausanne, and the pilot was taken away in an ambulance.

Air accident investigators have launched an investigation.

The balloon belonged to the five-star Grand Hôtel Park in Gstaad.

The pilot was an "experienced and recognized balloonist," the hotel said in a statement.

"All our thoughts go to the family and the friends of the victims of this terrible accident."

The SDA news service said the site where the accident occurred is considered safe by balloon pilots.

There were several power lines but these were clearly visible, pilot Raphael Zuccollo said.

Zuccollo said conditions on Tuesday morning had been perfect and visibility had been good.

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How free are people to protest in Switzerland?

In its recently released 2024 report, Amnesty International criticised Switzerland for imposing restrictions on the right to protest and for dispersing protests violently.

So what’s the problem?

While not an explicit ban on protest, Amnesty International considers the obligation in some Swiss cantons for protest organisers to gain official approval and shoulder potential costs to be a repressive measure—essentially a ‘workaround’ in cooling dissent.

Amnesty International’s criticism comes on the heels of other concerns.

In 2024, Amnesty International joined with the United Nations in criticizing moves by some Swiss cantons and cities to ban protests regarding the Middle East conflict as ‘disproportionate’.

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The organization has also highlighted the continued use of rubber bullets by Swiss police in dispersing protests as a serious area of concern.

Furthermore, any changes to protests are controlled or permitted in Switzerland must be made through individual cantons due to the country’s devolution of specific powers – a process that could take years.

So what restrictions have been introduced in Switzerland?

In early March, the ‘Anti-Chaoten’ initiative put forward by the right-wing Swiss People’s Party (SVP) youth wing, which would have placed significant legal and financial burdens on protesters, was rejected in a Zurich cantonal referendum. However, a counterproposal by cantonal authorities was accepted at the polls.

The successful counterproposal requires explicit permission from authorities to hold a protest or rally, as well as passing on the cost of the police operation, as well as any intentional damage, to protest organizers. Failure to gain approval for protests can result in charges being laid.

Following the success of the Zurich measure, the Basel SVP intends to introduce a similar proposal to be voted on in August – with the same likely result.

Which protests have been dispersed violently in Switzerland?

Due to global events, protests have become increasingly common in Switzerland over the last five years. Most have been peaceful, but there have been exceptions.

Measures introduced to limit the spread of the coronavirus between 2020 and 2022 led to violent protests being dispersed in Bern, Zurich and Lucerne.

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Climate change protests have also been violently dispersed by police, using pepper spray and rubber bullets – such as in Basel in February 2023.

Amnesty International has also raised serious concerns regarding the police dispersal of an International Women’s Day protest in Basel on March 17th of this year, in which rubber bullets were also used.

Most recently, opponents of the Eritrean regime were dispersed with tear gas and water cannons at a demonstration in Gerlafingen, Aargau, on March 31st.

What right do the Swiss have to protest?

The right to peaceful protest is enshrined in the Swiss federal constitution—Article 16 provides for freedom of expression, while Article 23 protects the right to free association.

Indeed, in 2020, the country successfully introduced a resolution to the United Nations Human Rights Council, calling for world governments to protect the right to protest and not use the coronavirus pandemic as a reason to curtail freedoms.

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Furthermore, the country is a signatory to the Convention against Torture and Other Cruel Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment, as well as the Optional Protocol to the Convention Against Torture, which could have some bearing on how protests are dispersed.

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