Therefore, FCB fan crashed in Wankdorf

A fan of FC Basel was seriously injured on the Sunday after the cup final in an accident. Now allegations become the train and the authorities. Most of them do not apply, the reconstruction shows – even if there were problems.

It was a shocking scene that fans had to watch on Sunday in the Wankdorf train station in Bern. After the football cup final, Mario P. * got under a train before hundreds of fans, seriously injured and subsequently lost a leg. The case shocked the football world. FC Basel canceled the Cupfeier. But how did the tragic accident come about?

The research of Ch Media shows that there were potentially dangerous situations in the area around the game – but they probably have nothing to do with the accident.

The suspicion that the accident could have been prevented was quickly loud. « How safe is the Wankdorf train station? », asked the « Berner Zeitung ». Fans criticized the perrons as too narrow, and trains would also drive through with too high speed. In the “Basler Zeitung”, eyewitnesses saidthat the extra trains on Sunday had left too early – an assertion that also repeated a member of P. on social media.

The accident was discussed intensively on social media. Many made the crowd on the perrons responsible. The reconstruction shows that most of the allegations are probably not true.

All trains were too late

On Sunday, the game will kick off in the Wankdorf Stadium at 3:51 p.m. FC Basel wins 4: 1 against FC Biel. Many fans want to go to Basel to celebrate the title with the team. The first extra train is to leave Wankdorf station at 4:19 p.m. But many supporters want to celebrate their team in the stadium beforehand, and there are 500 meters of footpath between the stadium and the train station.

The first train leaves Wankdorf station in accordance with internal data that is available CH Media, because even with eleven minutes late. The extra trains drive off as soon as they are full. The following five planned extra trains are also late, the last one at 5:30 p.m. Nobody drives too early.

The extracits for the supporters of FC Biel also run from Wankdorf station. There the fans meet at times. On a video you can see how a supporter of FC Biel calls provocations in the direction of fans of FC Basel at the train station. These verbally give back. There is no consistent separation of the guest groups, as the Bernese cantonal police confirmed. This was implemented « best as possible ». There was no more possible because the fans could mix in the stadium and leave it together.

The train station is very full at times. From the point of view of the SBB and the authorities, the situation is not exceptional for a major event or even dangerous. The Bernese cantonal police carry out a dosage in front of the train station, as a spokesman says. She holds back people and thus ensures that too many people do not get to the perrons at the same time.

Camera films accident

The extracits for the fans of FC Biel and FC Basel drive from the tracks 1 and 7 at the end of the train station, behind which storage rooms are available. In addition, there are no trains on these tracks. On the other tracks of the station, the speed of passing trains is greatly reduced.

Around 300 fans of FC Basel, including P., do not make it to the last extra train – also because they stay in the stadium for a long time. To organize their removal, the SBB spontaneously offer a seventh extra train. A composition is used, which is held in Bern for extraordinary cases. At 5:52 p.m. she reaches Wankdorf station.

A surveillance camera films, which then happens. The pictures that are part of the investigative files would show the course of the accident « clearly », says a person familiar with the case. Her statements coincide with those of eyewitnesses: According to this, P. is not captured head -on from the train, but touches the train with his arm when he is at its height. He should be caught and pulled into the gap between the train and the perron.

« Concept works very well »

The fact that P. is still alive is due to the fact that the braking train at that time may only have been traveling at a low speed. There are no signs that third parties are involved. At this point there is also no excessive crowds on the perron.

Nevertheless, the question arises which teachings are drawn. It would be conceivable that fans will be held back in the future until the trains stand still. Then they would traffic jam in front of the train station or in the case of Wankdorf on the passenger. Shouts that only open when there are trains are expensive and only practical if the same trains are always used.

From the SBB’s point of view, there is no need for quick action. The processes at large events in the Wankdorf stadium are recorded, the cooperation with the cantonal police is « very good ».

P. has been operated on several times in the Bernese Inselspital in the past few days. The family man from near Liestal BL experiences a wave of solidarity. He is out of life. However, he will suffer from the consequences of the accident for a lifetime.

* Name changed.