Two deaths at 'Sheki Yaylasi': resort operator and another person arrested

The businessman who runs the 'Sheki Yaylasi' recreation centre in Azerbaijan's Sheki district and another person have been arrested over an incident that killed two people. The Prosecutor General's Office announced this on 2 November.

According to the Prosecutor General's Office, the investigation established well-founded suspicions that Ramiz Huseynov, who manages the centre, committed negligence through a careless attitude to his duties, causing the deaths of two people by negligence.

The statement said Ramiz Huseynov verbally entrusted the construction of the tower intended for the 'Zipline' cable route to Abaset Pashayev, who had neither the relevant licence nor professional training. The tower was built illegally under his supervision and direct instructions.

The Prosecutor General's Office said that deformation of the iron structure on top of the tower caused the cables to sway, and the main zipline trolley that ensures the slide came off the cable. Because the plastic pipe part of a makeshift braking and additional safety device had been threaded onto the cable, the cable's vibration tore the fabric part of that device. As a result, Ucal Bayramov and Coshgun Mammadzade, who were using the cable, fell from a height and died at the scene of their injuries.

On 2 November, Ramiz Huseynov was charged under Article 314.3 of the Criminal Code (negligence causing the death of two persons) and Abaset Pashayev under Article 124.2 (causing the death of two or more persons by negligence). By decisions of the Sheki District Court, both were remanded in custody.

Under these charges, the businessman faces three to seven years in prison and the other person two to six years.

The incident took place on 8 September at the 'Sheki Yaylasi' recreation centre in the village of Bash Kaldak in Sheki district: two people died when the cable broke.