Serious cable car accident shortly before the Easter holidays: Four people were killed on Thursday when a gondola crashed near the southern Italian city of Naples.

The gondola was on its way to the popular viewpoint on Monte Faito when a suspension cable apparently broke shortly before reaching the mountain station. The gondola then plunged to the ground, according to the Italian mountain rescue service.

The accident occurred near the town of Castellammare di Stabia, about 30 kilometers southeast of Naples. Visibility on the day of the accident was severely restricted by thick fog. The exact cause of the cable failure is still unclear. The public prosecutor’s office has launched an investigation.

Victims from several countries – one seriously injured

There were five people in the gondola that crashed: an employee of the regional operating company EAV and four tourists. One man survived with serious injuries, four other people were killed – including two British nationals, one Israeli and one Italian, according to the authorities.

Other passengers who were in other cabins were rescued by emergency services under difficult conditions using ropes and helicopters. In total, more than a dozen people were affected, including several foreign tourists.

Mayor criticizes safety system

The mayor of Castellammare di Stabia, Luigi Vicinanza, expressed his shock at the scene of the accident. He explained that the cable had snapped unexpectedly. While the emergency brake at the valley station had been activated correctly, the safety device on the way to the mountain station had apparently not worked. According to reports, the cabin was already at the entrance to the mountain station when the crash occurred.

Cable car in operation for decades

The cable car to the 1,131-meter-high Monte Faito has been one of the region’s most popular tourist attractions since it opened in 1952. On a clear day, it offers an impressive view of the Gulf of Naples. The ride takes about ten minutes. The cable car had only been back in operation for a week after the winter break. Last year, it was used by over 100,000 people, including many international visitors.

The current accident is not the first in the history of the facility: in 1960, there was a fatal accident in which four people died and over 30 were injured. In the summer of 2021, a gondola with 31 passengers was stranded for over an hour due to a power failure – but no one was injured.

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APA