Cable car crash caused by broken support cable
19/04/2025 09:00 MYT
Cable car crash caused by broken support cable
An investigation is currently underway by the public prosecutor's office in Torre Annunziata to determine the exact cause of the incident. - AP Photo
NAPLES: Four people were killed and one seriously injured in a horrific accident when a cable car crashed to the ground near the southern Italian city of Naples on Thursday.
The tragedy occurred on the cable car line that connects the town of Castellammare di Stabia with Monte Faito, a mountain peak known for its beautiful views of Mount Vesuvius and the Bay of Naples.
The cable car fell after its main support cable is believed to have snapped.
Among the victims were a cable car operator from a nearby town, two tourists from Britain, and another from Israel.
Another Israeli tourist who was also in the cabin is currently in critical but stable condition.
The chairman of public transport company EAV, which operates the cable car service, Umberto De Gregorio, said it was an unimaginable tragedy.
He expressed surprise that all safety tests required by law were carried out before the service reopened last week for the spring and summer season.
According to EAV, the Monte Faito cable car is a tourist attraction with stunning views and carried 113,000 passengers last year.
The incident also caused another cabin to stop midway near the foot of the mountain, believed to have been saved by the emergency brake that failed to function on the crashed cabin.
Nine individuals were successfully rescued from the cabin, according to the fire brigade.
Media footage showed them being moved one by one using harnesses.
An investigation is currently underway by the public prosecutor in Torre Annunziata to identify the exact cause of the incident.
