Italian cable car crashes at scenic mountain, killing at least 14 people
- The accident at a scenic resort area comes as Italy’s cable car system reopens after months of Covid-19 closures
- A child was seriously injured in the accident, while authorities say the death toll may rise
A cable car taking visitors to a mountaintop view of some of northern Italy’s most picturesque lakes plummeted to the ground on Sunday and then tumbled down the slope, killing 14 people. A young child was hospitalised in serious condition with broken bones, authorities said.
Stresa Mayor Marcella Severino said it appeared that a cable broke, sending the car careering until it hit a pylon and then fell to the ground. At that point, the car overturned “two or three times before hitting some trees,” she said. Some of those who died were thrown from the cabin.
The Italian government announced a commission to investigate the disaster, which is likely to renew questions about the quality and safety of Italy’s transport infrastructure.
Images from the site showed the crumpled car in a clearing of a thick patch of pine trees near the summit of the Mottarone peak overlooking Lake Maggiore. The car was believed to have fallen around 15 metres, according to Italian media.
“It was a terrible, terrible scene,” Severino told Italy’s SkyTG24.