However, affected plaintiffs are largely denied damages, as the negligence is not considered gross.
The companies are ordered to pay a corporate fine of SEK 5.2 million for Gröna Lund and SEK 1.3 million for Göteborgs Mekaniska.
Deficiencies in the company's handling of the ordering and manufacturing of a support arm were a direct cause of the accident, according to the Stockholm District Court.
Both companies are considered to have acted negligently. Gröna Lund for not having secured sufficient drawing documentation when ordering the support arm or for not having taken measures to ensure that the work would be carried out by a welder with sufficient competence. Göteborgs Mekaniska is considered to have undertaken the assignment despite lacking sufficient conditions and competence to carry it out, which ultimately caused the accident, according to the district court.
Not consciously taking risks
Gröna Lund and Göteborgs Mekaniska are convicted of causing death and causing bodily harm.
The reason why the district court does not consider the crimes to be serious, as requested by the prosecutor, is due to the degree of negligence, explains Chief Prosecutor Axel Peterson.
For it to be considered serious, it is usually said that there must be conscious, quite far-reaching risk-taking, which makes the action close to intentional, he says.
Gröna Lund's CEO Jan Eriksson writes in a comment that the verdict will now be analyzed.
“It has been important to us that the incident has been thoroughly investigated and we have made several changes to ensure that something like this can never happen again.”
Damages are denied
The question of intent also affects damages for the affected plaintiffs, which are largely denied.
That's where it falls short: the district court has deemed that the prosecutor has not shown sufficient reasons for it to be considered serious. Then the claim for damages for infringement falls through, says Peterson.
The third accused company, Mekosmos AB, is completely acquitted because the district court has not found that the company has acted negligently.
It was on June 25, 2023 that the Jetline roller coaster at Gröna Lund partially derailed. 14 people were on board the ride when the accident occurred.
A woman in her 30s died after being thrown from the car and falling to the ground. Several people were also injured.
