A tragic incident occurred at a famous tourist destination in Switzerland when a ski gondola detached from its cable and fell down the mountain, resulting in one fatality. Authorities are urgently investigating the cause of this accident.
Local officials revealed that the incident took place at Engelberg Ski Resort in the Alps. The ski gondola came off its cable for reasons still unclear at around 11:00 a.m. last Wednesday.
The gondola fell from Mount Titlis amid heavy snow and flipped multiple times, as shown in videos shared on social media.
Police stated that the deceased was a 61-year-old woman who was alone inside the gondola at the time of the accident.
The gondola was part of the Titlis Express system. It had just left the station and was ascending toward the middle of the mountain when the sudden accident occurred.
Several local witnesses told Swiss media that strong gusts of wind were present at the time, with speeds exceeding 80 kilometers per hour—higher than the usual cutoff speed for suspending gondola operations, which is about 60 kilometers per hour.
One skier recounted, “My mother told me to look, and we saw the gondola falling. We clearly heard the impact.”
A 14-year-old student at a nearby ski camp said they were very shocked and no longer dared to take the gondola after witnessing the event.
After the incident, aerial rescue teams, medical personnel, and police rushed to the scene, with footage showing officials trudging through deep snow to reach the accident site.
Local media reported that approximately 100 to 200 passengers from about 40 gondolas were safely evacuated.
The operator immediately suspended all gondola services and expressed condolences to the victim’s family. Investigators are examining the true cause, with weather conditions—especially strong winds—being considered a possible factor.
This event is a rare but severe accident in Europe’s ski gondola systems and has raised safety concerns for winter tourist destinations across the region.
/source:BBC
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