The court in Amsterdam on Friday sentenced the two owners of an Amsterdam climbing hall to 120 hours of community service for manslaughter. In the climbing hall, an eleven-year-old boy died in late 2023 after falling 14 meters.
During a children’s party, a total of ten children took turns climbing under the guidance of parents. The children then lowered themselves down. Something went wrong with one of them.
The most likely scenario is that something went wrong when securing the boy. The victim’s loop was not attached to a carabiner, but the rope was completely pierced. When pressure was applied, the knot shot straight through the hook.
As a result, the boy fell. He later died that evening in the hospital from brain damage.
The Public Prosecution Service concluded that the owners had not fulfilled their duty of care. Employees also had to perform catering activities and there were no specific agreements regarding the supervision of non-independent climbers.
No legal safety requirements in climbing halls
The court agrees with the prosecution. “The boy’s death could have been prevented by a simple measure, namely a physical check by an instructor,” the judge stated. “The managers have therefore violated their duty of care.”
The death of the boy painfully exposed the lack of legal safety requirements in climbing halls in the Netherlands. The halls only work with guidelines. There is also no external control.
There was no guideline for non-independent climbing, such as at a children’s party. After the boy’s death, the climbing world did think about a new guideline. It is still in the concept phase.
The court hopes to send a general warning to climbing halls with this ruling.