World
India
A tragic cable car accident near Naples, Italy, on Thursday resulted in the deaths of four people and left one person seriously injured. The incident occurred at Monte Faito, a mountain peak located approximately 45 kilometres southeast of Naples.
According to early reports, the accident involved one of the cabins operated by Ente Autonomo Volturno (EAV), the firm responsible for the cable car service in the area.
“The cabin at the top has crashed, casualties are feared,” said Umberto De Gregorio, chairman of EAV, describing the event as “a tragedy.”
Rescue Efforts Hampered by Bad Weather in Naples
Firefighters and mountain rescue teams were immediately dispatched to the scene. However, rescue operations were hindered by strong winds and poor weather conditions, authorities said.
Despite these challenges, approximately 16 passengers who were in a separate cabin at the time of the accident were all reported safe. Video footage shared on social media and broadcast on Italian television showed emergency responders evacuating the passengers one by one using harnesses.
Sequence of Events: From Technical Issues to Naples Catastrophe
At around 4:30pm local time, local media began reporting that the cable car system had malfunctioned, leaving two cabins suspended in mid-air near the base of the mountain. At the time, EAV issued a statement reassuring that all passengers were safe and “descending safely.”
However, about an hour and a half later, local media reported that contact had been lost with one of the cabins. Shortly thereafter, EAV President De Gregorio confirmed that the cabin at the top of the mountain had fallen.
Italian news outlet Ansa reported that one individual was seriously injured in addition to the four confirmed fatalities.
Cable May Have Snapped, Say Media Reports
Several Italian media outlets reported that one of the cables supporting the cabin had snapped, though no official cause has yet been confirmed.
The Monte Faito cable car line connects the historic town of Castellammare di Stabia with the summit of Monte Faito. The accident comes just a week after the service reopened for the season.
This latest tragedy evokes memories of a similar incident in 2021, when a cable car connecting northern Italy’s Lake Maggiore to a nearby mountain plunged to the ground, killing 14 people.
