Four people have been killed after a cable car’s traction cable snapped and the cabin fell to the ground in south Italy.
Four tourists and an engineer were on board the Monte Faito cable car when it plunged into a ravine on Thursday afternoon.
A fifth person who was in the cabin that fell was evacuated by helicopter in serious condition.
The mayor of Castellammare di Stabia, Luigi Vicinanza told reporters: “The traction cable broke, the emergency brake downstream worked but evidently not the one on the cabin that was entering the station on the top of Faito.”
The cable car had just reopened a week ago after being closed for winter, the mayor added.
The failure occurred shortly after 3pm along the cableway that connects the city of Castellammare di Stabia in Naples with the summit of Monte Faito.
Eleven people on board another cabin downstream were winched out and rescued.
“We are facing a tragedy that leaves us breathless and speechless” – Angelo Lustro, general secretary of Cgil union said.
Confirming the engineer as one of the victims, he added: “Now is the time for mourning and silence for the victims of this immense and absurd tragedy. Then the time will come to ascertain exactly the causes and who is responsible.”
This is a breaking news story… More to follow…
