Swiss police make arrests over reported death in 'suicide' pod

Swiss police have opened a criminal investigation and arrested a number of people after the suspected death of a woman in a so-called suicide capsule.

- Kate Connolly

According to local reports, the capsule, named the Sarco Pod by its inventor, was used for the first time on Monday afternoon in a forest close to the German border in the Swiss town of Merishausen.

The person reported to have died in the device was a 64-year-old woman from the US.

Switzerland is one of the few countries in the world where assisted dying is legal, under certain conditions.

Police in the canton of Schaffhausen in northern Switzerland confirmed several arrests had been made, while the public prosecutors' office said it had opened an investigation into suspected incitement and aiding and abetting of suicide.

A spokesperson said officials were also investigating whether other criminal offences may have been committed.