14 people were killed and one child was seriously injured when a tourist cable car leading to the mountains broke, sending the cable car down the mountainside and breaking up in northern Italy.
At least 14 people were killed and one child was seriously injured in a horrific accident in the mountains of northern Italy on May 23, 2021. Photo: ANSA The above cable car route reopened last month after the blockade due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The cabin that crashed on May 23, supposedly carrying 15 people to the top of the Stresa-Mottarone cable line, crashed halfway up the mountain at an altitude of 300 meters while the top of the cable was nearly 1,500 meters above sea level. This is a cable car that serves tourists from the town of Stresa in the Piedmont region to the top of Mount Mottarone, where visitors can enjoy spectacular views of the Alps. Rescuers said two injured children, one 5 years old, one 9 years old, were immediately transferred to a children’s hospital in Turin for treatment, but one child did not survive. 
The cable car cabin fell and rolled many times on the mountainside. Photo: AFP/ANSA Stress Mayor Marcella Severino said the cable car cabin fell about 20 meters above the ground and rolled several times over the slope before becoming stuck in the branches. Ms Severino added that climbers said they heard a loud hiss shortly before the crash. The National Rescue Service said they received a call shortly after 12 noon (local time) and the cable car was later found “crumbling” in the forest. The accident is believed to have been caused by one of the cables breaking, potentially raising questions about the quality of Italy’s transport infrastructure. Investigators on the same day began identifying the victims, including foreign nationals. Video of the scene of the terrible cable car accident (Source: Daily Mail) 
The rescue team examines the debris of a cable car belonging to the Stresa-Mottarone cable route. They found some dead people trapped in cabins, others thrown out into the woods. Photo: AP The mayor of Severino told local television that some of the victims were found trapped in vehicles, others were thrown out into the woods. Italian Prime Minister Mario Draghi offered condolences to the families of the victims, while Transport Minister Enrico Giovannini described the incident as a “terrible tragedy”. On the same day, May 23, European Council President Charles Michel also offered condolences on Twitter, saying “Europe mourns you”, while European Parliament President David Sassoli appealed on his personal Twitter page. “We must immediately clarify the cause of this absurd tragedy”. 
The cable car is said to have fallen halfway up a 300 meter high mountain, while the top of the mountain is 1,500 meters high. 
Emergency services and police were present at the scene of the tragedy. Photo: AP Italy’s National Alpine Rescue Service said on Twitter: ‘Serious accident on the Stresa-Mottarone cable car. The Alpine Rescue Team and other rescue teams were on the spot. Two ambulance helicopters joined the rescue.” Tragedy occurred 20 years after a cable car got stuck in 2001, but 40 tourists were rescued safely. The Mottarone Cable Car was opened in 1970. It reaches an altitude of 1,500 meters and takes tourists from the town of Stresa to the summit in 20 minutes. 
The side of the mountain where the cable car was thrown and rolled many times before getting stuck in the trees. Photo: AP 
Map illustrating the area of the accident on the cable line leading from the town of Stresa to the top of Mount Mottarone. Mount Mottarone is like a ‘natural balcony’, offering panoramic views from the Po Valley to the Alps. From the top of the mountain, visitors can observe 7 lakes, including Lake Maggiore, Italy’s second largest lake. The area became famous in the early 1900s when it opened its doors for winter sports and skiing. 
Italian Transport Minister Enrico Giovannini described the crash as a “terrible tragedy”. In the photo, Mr. Giovaanini is at the scene. Photo: AP 
Italian authorities have opened an investigation into the cause of the tragedy. Photo: AP
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