City repatriation guide
Repatriation from Interlaken, Switzerland
Specific guidance for arranging repatriation from Interlaken. Local documentation contacts, airport cargo routes, and the typical process for cases originating in this area.
Interlaken sits between Lake Thun and Lake Brienz in the Bernese Oberland, framed by the Eiger, Mönch, and Jungfrau. It is internationally known as the adventure sports capital of the Alps. Paragliding from the Beatenberg ridge, skydiving above the valley, canyoning in the Saxeten and Rosenlaui gorges, base jumping (the Kandersteg area is one of the world’s most active base jump sites), white-water kayaking, and winter skiing at Grindelwald and Wengen collectively create one of the highest adventure-sport death rates among British tourists anywhere in Europe. Cases here are almost never straightforward natural deaths — they are primarily traumatic deaths from outdoor activities, which means the Swiss legal process is consistently triggered.
What the British Embassy does — and does not do
The British Embassy Bern (Thunstraße 50, 3005 Bern) covers all of Switzerland including the Bernese Oberland.
The Embassy can: Register the death in UK consular records. Advise on Swiss documentation for UK authorities. Provide a funeral director referral list for the Interlaken area.
The Embassy cannot: Repatriate the body. Pay any costs. Instruct Swiss cantonal or federal authorities.
FCDO 24-hour emergency line: +44 (0)20 7008 5000.
What Swiss law requires
Under the Schweizerische Strafprozessordnung (StPO, Swiss Code of Criminal Procedure SR 312.0), sudden, violent, or unexplained deaths are referred to the Staatsanwaltschaft des Kantons Bern (Bern Cantonal Public Prosecutor). Interlaken falls within the Kanton Bern. Forensic post-mortems are conducted at the Institut für Rechtsmedizin der Universität Bern (IRMU, Bühlstraße 20, 3012 Bern), which is the Bern cantonal forensic institute and a 55-minute drive from Interlaken.
Sterbeurkunde (death certificate) is issued by the Zivilstandsamt (civil registry) of the relevant commune (e.g., Zivilstandsamt Interlaken).
Switzerland is a signatory to the Council of Europe Strasbourg Agreement on Transfer of Corpses (1973). The international transport document — the laissez-passer mortuaire — is issued for Kanton Bern cases by the appropriate cantonal authority.
The documentation chain
1. Sterbeurkunde (death certificate). Issued by Zivilstandsamt Interlaken or the commune of death.
2. Staatsanwaltschaft Bern release (required in all sudden or violent deaths before body release).
3. Laissez-passer mortuaire. Issued in accordance with the Strasbourg Agreement for international transport.
4. Embalming certificate (where required for transport duration).
5. IATA cargo documentation.
Source: Schweizerische Strafprozessordnung SR 312.0 (Switzerland); Council of Europe Agreement on Transfer of Corpses, Strasbourg 1973; FCDO Switzerland travel advice, 2024.
Airport and cargo routing
Interlaken has no commercial airport. The nearest international airport is Bern Airport (BRN, 55km), though Bern’s London services are limited. The most practical cargo routing for British repatriations is: road transfer to Zurich Airport (ZRH, approximately 2 hours from Interlaken) then ZRH-LHR British Airways direct, or to Basel (BSL/EAP, 2 hours) for easyJet services to London. The funeral director selects the most reliable current route.
Timeline from Interlaken
- Traumatic outdoor death with post-mortem: 14 to 21 days
- Body recovery from gorge or mountain terrain: adds 1 to 5 days before documentation begins
- Extended forensic investigation: 3 to 6 weeks
Key local considerations
Canyoning deaths in the Interlaken area are the highest-profile category internationally — the 1999 Saxeten gorge canyoning disaster killed 21 people including British tourists. Deaths in guided activity contexts may involve the operator’s insurers, the operator’s safety investigation, and the Swiss authorities simultaneously. Families should obtain all insurance policy documentation before instructing a funeral director, as the operator’s liability insurance may cover repatriation costs.
For guidance on next steps, contact our team via our enquiry form or WhatsApp.
Information based on Schweizerische Strafprozessordnung SR 312.0 and Strasbourg Agreement 1973. Last reviewed May 2026.
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