Cable Car Mishap in Italy: Four Injured and Dozens Rescued After Being Stranded

Authorities report that an incident involving a cable car in northwestern Italy resulted in minor injuries to four individuals and trapped approximately 100 people on a mountain until they were airlifted to safety.

The accident occurred on the cable car that operates on the route to the Moro Pass, which sits at a lofty 9,000 feet near Italy's border with Switzerland. Despite the mishap, there's relief that no one suffered critical injuries, as shared by a spokesperson from the Alpine rescue service to the news agency AFP.

The unfortunate event was attributed to an unexpected high-speed arrival of the cable car at the summit station, as described in a statement from rescue services.

Further details from the fire department revealed that two gondolas were involved, impacting the structures of both the upper and lower stations.

Among the 15 individuals in the upper gondola, three passengers received injuries, in addition to an operator who was at the base station.

The collision occurred around 11:30 a.m. local time, and rescue operations took nearly three hours to safely evacuate all those stranded via helicopter.

According to Filippo Besozzi, who manages the cable car operations, the most seriously injured individual was a 59-year-old man who suffered an arm injury. He cited a 'technical malfunction' as the cause, where the cable car failed to decelerate adequately, leading to a collision with a barrier.

Besozzi added that the cable car had been recently refurbished in 2023 and showed no major damage, although it was undergoing further examination.

This incident unfolded during the peak ski season when Italian and international tourists swarm the region for festive holiday activities.

This accident came after previous similar incidents, including a tragic cable car collapse near Naples last April, which led to four fatalities. That occurred shortly after the Monte Faito gondola had resumed operations, offering breathtaking vistas of the region.

Earlier crashes included a devastating tragedy involving a cable car at Lake Maggiore, where the fall claimed 14 lives, sparing only one young survivor.