At least eight people have been injured, two seriously, in a cable car accident at the French ski resort of Val Thorens, authorities have said.
Val Thorens is an exceptionally high ski station in the Alps, making it a mecca for skiers wanting guaranteed snow as climate change hits resorts at lower altitudes.
The accident occurred at around 7.30am on Tuesday morning during challenging weather conditions in the Alps above 3,000 metres (9,800 feet), according to a statement from the Savoie prefecture, or regional administration.
All eight of the people injured were workers and none of the injuries are thought to be life-threatening.
A cabin of the Cime Caron cable car, used for construction work, hit the arrival station while carrying 16 workers.
Emergency responders, including firefighters, paramedics, ski patrollers, and high-mountain rescue teams, evacuated the injured workers using a nearby gondola, officials said.
The prefecture set up a crisis management cell and a “mass casualty plan” to co-ordinate rescue efforts.
Val Thorens ski resort:
Francois Ravier, the prefect for the Savoy region, said the injured had been transferred to hospitals in Annecy and Grenoble. He did not give any details about the cause of the accident.
“It is too early to know the exact circumstances that led to this accident,” Mr Ravier said. “We will have to wait for the preliminary results of the investigation.”
With 93 miles (150km) of runs at altitudes between 2,300 metres and 3,200 metres, the resort of Val Thorens attracts skiers from across Europe and the world and is part of the 3 Vallees grouping of ski resorts that includes the popular Courchevel and Meribel.
The Cime Caron cable car was once the longest in the world at the time of its construction in 1982, the resort’s website said.
The accident happened four days before the opening of the resort for the winter season, on November 23.
