Alicia's Severe Injury: Investigation Reveals Why the Ski Lift Failed
Neither the prosecutor nor Säfsen Resort disclosed the cause of the ski lift accident that injured Alicia Köhalmi. Now, the police have released the investigation, revealing how the anchor lift failed.
Last winter, Alicia Köhalmi was severely injured during her ski vacation in Säfsen. The anchor in the ski lift she was using detached, causing Alicia to slide backward into two trees, resulting in a broken arm and brain hemorrhage. She is still not fully recovered.
An investigation into causing bodily harm was initiated but later dropped. The reason was the inability to prove that those suspected were guilty of a crime.
The family requested a review but was denied.
They have not received any formal explanation of the cause, either from the company or the prosecutor.
Prosecutor Jimmy Skogström states that due to confidentiality, he will only comment on the accident's cause if Säfsen Resort approves it.
"I have not received their approval to disclose what happened in the investigation. Therefore, I do not want to say anything about it, out of respect for the company," he says.
So should I ask them to tell you it's okay for you to tell me? Would you then disclose it?
"Yes, if they themselves inform me that it is okay for me to disclose what happened."
Säfsen Keeps the Cause Secret
Christoffer Tilstam, marketing and sales manager at Säfsen Resort, does not want to comment on what caused the accident, referring instead to the police investigation.
Expressen asked him to give prosecutor Jimmy Skogström his approval to disclose the cause of the accident. The answer was no.
"Since the case is investigated and it has been determined that no one is guilty of the accident, we consider it resolved and do not give the prosecutor approval to comment," Tilstam writes in a text message.
The Knot Was Too Small
Meanwhile, the Police Authority has decided to release the entire closed preliminary investigation. This is evident from the company's own incident report.
The anchor line had not broken but had slipped out from the carrier, the part that attaches the anchor to the towline.
The line is supposed to be prevented from slipping out by a knot. However, the core of the anchor line, a wire, had not been included in the knot. The knot was therefore too thin and could slip out of its attachment under high load.
The error was not previously known, according to the incident report.
Furthermore:
Procedures for carrier overhaul were updated for specific inspection of the problem.
An employee states in an interview that the carrier is taken down annually after the season. The knot is then cut off and a new one tied to shift the "wear point."
Christoffer Tilstam writes that the company will "continue our safety work to comply with the laws, regulations, and advice applicable to the operation of lifts in Sweden."
He also writes that a liability investigation is ongoing with Dalarnas Försäkringsbolag, but they have not received a date for its completion.