First person dies in Dutch-designed assisted suicide capsule; Journalist arrested

A 64-year-old American woman died in Switzerland on Monday in a specially designed "assisted dying capsule," which is designed to fill with nitrogen gas to kill an individual by suffocation. This is the first known instance where the method has been used to end a life. A Volkskrant photojournalist who was present at the time was arrested by police at the scene.

The capsule, known as the Sarco Pod, was created to provide a "quick, peaceful, and reliable death" according to its designers. The woman reportedly died at approximately 4:01 p.m. on Monday, with Florian Willet, the director of end-of-life advocacy The Last Resort, present as a witness.

Due to oxygen deprivation, also known as hypoxia, she lost consciousness and died shortly after the machine started. Her death was confirmed by Dr. Philip Nitschke, the creator of the Sarco device and an advocate for the right to die.

The Sarco Pod was set up in a secluded wooded area in Schaffhausen, near the German border. The woman had traveled to Switzerland specifically for this procedure, in which an individual climbs into the chamber and initiates the process on their own with the push of a button. Nitrogen gas then fills the capsule, causing the oxygen level to drop to nearly zero within a minute.

Nitschke explained that death in the Sarco resembles what happens when cabin pressure drops in an airplane, depriving passengers of oxygen. "From those who have survived that experience, we know it doesn't feel like suffocation," he told the Volkskrant.

"People continue to breathe normally. After half a minute, they start to feel disoriented. They are not fully aware of what is happening to them. Some experience mild euphoria. Then they just drift away."

Until recently, the Swiss government had not commented on the legality of the Sarco. Swissmedic, the country’s regulatory authority, stated that the Sarco is not considered a medical device, and therefore, does not require a permit. Additionally, nitrogen, a gas naturally present in the air, is not classified as a controlled substance.

However, on Monday, Swiss Interior Minister Elisabeth Baume-Schneider voiced concerns, stating that in her view, the Sarco does not meet product safety requirements. She also said that the nitrogen is not being used in compliance with chemical regulations, according to the Swiss newspaper NZZ.

On the same day, police in Schaffhausen detained a Volkskrant photojournalist who had been following the case and attempting to take photographs at the scene. The newspaper said they lost contact with their photographer for several hours before police confirmed they were detaining him. No further details were provided.

Authorities may have also detained Florian Willet, who was present at the assisted suicide. Swiss authorities declined to comment further on the situation as of Tuesday morning.