American woman set to be first person to die in ‘suicide pod’ has gone ‘missing’ in Switzerland after company behind euthanasia device decided she was not a suitable candidate

An American woman who was set to become the first person to die in a “suicide pod” has disappeared after being told she was not a suitable candidate for euthanasia, the company behind the device said.

The 55-year-old woman, nicknamed Person X, had traveled to Switzerland to use the ‘Sarco’ pod, which is designed to allow the occupant to press a button and cause their own death.

But its creator, controversial euthanasia advocate Dr Philip Nitschke, said her planned death on July 17 was “aborted” after it was determined she was suffering from “deteriorating mental health”.

After being denied use of the machine, the woman disappeared in mid-July and has not been contacted since, according to Exit International, Dr. Nitschke’s company.

Her disappearance was reported to Zurich cantonal police this morning, police confirmed to MailOnline.

Australian euthanasia advocate Philip Nitschke (pictured), also known as ‘Dr Death’, is a former physician and head of the voluntary euthanasia campaign Exit International

Dr Nitschke previously said of the decision to deny her the use of the Sarco: ‘Given her situation, it is clear that this is someone who should be receiving mental health care now, rather than assisted suicide.’

According to Exit International, the Sarco, short for sarcophagus, is intended to allow the euthanasia patient inside to press a button and die “within seconds.”

The capsule, which looks like something out of a science fiction film and has been compared to a Tesla, is filled with nitrogen to deprive its occupants of oxygen, causing the patient to become unconscious before dying.

“It was clear from the statements the woman made in recent weeks that she was seriously mentally disturbed,” said Dr. Nitschke.

“We have tried in every possible way to make contact but have not been able to locate the woman so far,” he added.

This follows reports yesterday that the first deployment of the ‘Sarco’ pod had been ‘permanently postponed’.

Doctor Nitschke, who is also known as ‘Doctor Death’, is said to be involved in the pre-selection of the next person who wants to use the device.

Swiss prosecutors have previously warned that anyone who helps someone use the pod could face up to five years in prison.

Public prosecutor Peter Sticher of the canton of Schaffhausen warned of “serious consequences” for Nitschke because of “incitement and complicity in suicide for selfish reasons.”

Sticher wrote in a letter obtained by Swiss media: ‘There is no reliable information about the method of murder.

‘(It is) completely unclear who has control over which mechanical process during the dying process.’

Prosecutors said it would be impossible to determine who committed the murder under Article 115 of the Cantonal Criminal Code

Prospective users must complete an online survey before being given a pod’s location and an access code, similar to a mailbox for deliveries.

They then confirm in the capsule who they are, where they are and whether they know what happens when they press the button.

If they continue, a flood of nitrogen reduces oxygen levels from 21 percent to just one percent, reportedly killing them within 30 seconds.

Nitschke explained: ‘Death occurs from hypoxia and hypocapnia, respectively oxygen and carbon dioxide deficiency. There is no panic, no suffocation.’

The doctor’s plans to use Sarco for the first time have sparked outrage from pro-life organizations including CARE.

James Mildred, director of engagement at CARE, said: ‘Philip Nitschke’s device has been condemned by a wide range of commentators.

‘Many people feel that this trivializes or even glorifies suicide.

We believe that suicide is a tragedy that good societies try to prevent under all circumstances.

“There are ethical ways to help people that do not destroy lives.”

Swiss prosecutors warned earlier this month that anyone who helps someone use the pods could face up to five years in prison

The project has encountered a number of obstacles in the past, including whether Swiss authorities can take criminal action against the use of the machine.

Sarco’s founders reported in 2021 that it had passed legal scrutiny in Switzerland, where assisted suicide is legal and hundreds of people use the services of organizations like Dignitas and Exit (a separate group from Dr. Nitschke’s) every year.

But Kerstin Noëlle Vokinger, a professor of law and medicine at the University of Zurich, has said Sarco may need to be certified under the country’s Medical Devices Act, but that is not the case.

As a manufacturer, Dr. Nitschke could therefore take a risk by using Sarco if he were to be reported and a court came to the same conclusions as Vokinger, NZZ reports. A legal report previously stated that it did not violate any laws.

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