Rostock – The terrible combine harvester accident in Hohen Luckow on August 19, 2023, in which a farmer (25) lost his legs: Could this accident have been prevented if occupational safety had been observed?
The public prosecutor’s office is now trying to find an answer to this question. She took over the investigation from the police.
“Specifically, the aim is to clarify whether one of the three people present at the accident can be accused of a criminal breach of duty,” said Manuela Merkel (47), spokeswoman for the Rostock Public prosecutor’s office on Thursday to BILD. The investigation into negligent bodily harm is still ongoing.
The farmer (25) and two colleagues were harvesting together when an accident occurred in the field
They are currently in the process of evaluating reports and interviews with the accident victim, his colleague (25) and the young woman (24) who was sitting in the driver’s seat of the combine harvester. Loud police The harvest workers discovered that the combine harvester’s grain hopper was blocked. The later victim climbed in and his colleague stood next to him. To ensure that the machine continued to run, the young woman remained seated – thereby bypassing the so-called “dead man’s switch”, which otherwise ensures that all systems are switched off as soon as the driver gets up.
According to the police, the three made the decision together that the combine harvester should continue to run. The harvest worker was then instructed to remain seated, reports Chief Inspector Florian Müller (27).
A mobile operating room was set up in the grain field
Not until December – four months after that Drama – the police were able to interview the accident victim. The young man confirmed his colleagues’ version and decided not to press charges.
Prof. Clemens Schafmayer amputated both of the young man’s legs in the field
The 25-year-old harvest worker probably saved his colleague’s life by pressing one of the emergency stop buttons located all over the combine harvester. It only took him a few seconds – but that was enough to pull the victim’s legs up to the thigh into the screw conveyor.
Investigators had previously assumed that the young woman in the seat had heard the screams and stopped the combine.
The operation in the field
“None of us have experienced anything like this before”This is how the amputation in the field went
The emergency doctor arrived shortly after 4 p.m. and provided first aid.
About an hour after the accident Top surgeon Prof. Clemens Schafmayer (48) informed. He gathered his team (six doctors, one operating room nurse) from the weekend and flew to the wheat field in the rescue helicopter.
The emergency operation lasted almost two hours, during which the chief doctor amputated both of the young farmer’s legs and saved his life.