Scaffolding collapsed at a water show in the summer of 2023, injuring several people. Image: twitter/krawattenmanni
April 15, 2026, 1:39 p.mApril 15, 2026, 1:39 p.m
At the start of the trial surrounding a water show accident at Europa-Park in Rust, southwest Germany, the defendant admitted failures in assembly.
Among other things, fewer screws were used during construction than specified in the instructions, the man said in a statement read out by his lawyer at the Ettenheim district court.
The defendant is the managing director of the external company that was commissioned by the park, which is located near the French border, to set up and carry out the show in 2023. The public prosecutor’s office accuses the man of eight counts of negligent bodily harm.
The incident in the video:
Video: watson/twitter/mackadam_epinfo
Judge emphasizes defendant’s responsibility
The defendant said that the installation of the water basin had always been done this way. This was passed on to him by the previous company. He did not question Europa-Park about the fact that this structure did not correspond to the instructions. That wasn’t enough of an argument for Judge Wolfram Wegmann. He emphasized that it is the responsibility of the assembly company to ensure that work is carried out in accordance with the specifications.
The trial for the case started for the first time in November last year. However, due to the defense attorney’s prolonged illness, the case has to be reopened. It was initially unclear when a verdict would be reached.
In the summer of 2023, the water basin suddenly slipped and cracked in front of the spectators during the show “Retorno dos Piratas” and diving platforms collapsed. Six artists and two visitors, a married couple, were injured. (sda/dpa)