No Trial In Sight For Bouncy Castle Accident

There is still no court hearing scheduled for the bouncy castle accident in Akureyri, which occurred three and a half years ago, reports RÚV. It is unlikely that the main proceedings will take place before the summer, by which time four years will have passed since the incident.

The accident took place in 2021 when strong winds lifted a bouncy castle into the air with 108 children inside. Seven were taken to hospital with injuries.

Despite the severity of the incident, legal proceedings have been repeatedly delayed. A prosecutor from the Northeast Iceland Police has confirmed that they are still awaiting a reassessment of the case. Defence lawyers requested a more detailed examination of key aspects, including the castle’s anchoring and the weather conditions on the day of the accident.

Court-appointed experts have reviewed the evidence twice, but their findings did not fully align. As a result, a reassessment was approved last year.

Since then, little progress has been made, and no hearings are currently scheduled at the Northeast Iceland District Court. This makes it highly unlikely that the main proceedings will take place before summer.

Another factor delaying the case is that defence lawyers for three of the five defendants sought to have the presiding judge recused due to alleged bias, though this request was denied. That judge has since left the Northeast Iceland District Court, creating uncertainty over who will oversee the case if it proceeds to trial.

Five individuals remain defendants, including the president of Akureyri’s town council. Four children sustained serious injuries in the accident, including a girl who was in a life-threatening condition and suffered permanent harm. She was six years old at the time.