In a mountainous area of southern Turkey, a cable car carrying passengers broke apart after colliding with a metal structure supporting it on Friday. This caused eight occupants to fall to the rocky hillside below, resulting in one death, seven injuries, and nearly 200 people trapped in other cabins in midair. Rescue operations were launched to evacuate a total of 174 individuals, including children, local residents, and tourists.
Thirteen people were taken to the hospital for treatment, according to Turkey’s interior minister.
The cable cars typically transport passengers to a high point on a steep mountain with panoramic views of the hills, the city of Antalya, and the Mediterranean Sea. An accident occurred when a pole broke off and struck one of the cabins, causing the passengers to fall to the ground.
Images from the scene showed the broken car hanging above the ground with its windows shattered, while other cabins remained suspended on the cables with occupants inside.
Rescue efforts involved helicopters, cranes, and hundreds of personnel evacuating trapped passengers. The operation lasted nearly a full day, with some individuals still waiting to be rescued in a methodical and perilous process.
Officials are investigating the cause of the accident, and all 24 cabins of the cable-car line were in operation at the time. The line had undergone maintenance earlier this year.
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