Introduction
On 24 January 1994, a Cessna 425 aircraft crashed into Lake Constance, near the Swiss city of Rorschach, with five people on board. Three occupants were confirmed killed, and two remain missing. The incident drew significant media attention due to an initial suspicion that the aircraft might have been transporting nuclear material, which was later determined to be false.
The Flight
The flight originated from Prague Ruzyne Airport earlier that day, with a final destination of Paris and an intermediate stop at St. Gallen Altenrhein Airport. On board were pilot Rudi Wierschem; businessmen Josef Rimmele and Klaus Eichler, a former East German official; and two barmaids. Josef Rimmele had an outstanding arrest warrant issued by German authorities for tax evasion and fraud.
Accident
In the evening of 24 January, an aircraft was reported missing north of Rorschach, above Lake Constance, a few miles west of St. Gallen Altenrhein Airport. Initial search efforts were delayed due to deteriorating weather conditions. The aircraft was recovered from the lake on 8 February 1994. Analysis at the time was inconclusive; the flaps were found in a neutral position, which was unexpected for either a planned landing at the nearby airport or an intentional water landing. One of the aircraft doors was found open, and only three of the five expected passengers were recovered. The pilot, one of the barmaids, and a dog have not been recovered.
Legal Significance
The case was discussed in the 1995 edition of the commentary to the Constitution of Bavaria. The authors concluded that the lack of a clear border line in Lake Constance would have resulted in ambiguity about which country's criminal courts would have had jurisdiction over the accident.
Nuclear Scare
Between the crash in late January and the aircraft's recovery in early February, the biographies of the businessmen on board generated significant media attention and fears that the aircraft might have been transporting nuclear material. After recovery, no nuclear material was found. Had such material been present, water supplies in Switzerland, Germany, and Austria, as well as populated areas along the Rhine River, could have been at risk, contributing to the intense focus. Josef Rimmele and Klaus Eichler were reported to have been under observation by authorities due to their connections with Eastern European arms dealers and past involvement in the sale and transport of low-level radioactive material to Chinese buyers.