A gondola catastrophically detached from its cable and plunged down a snow-covered mountainside at a Swiss ski resort on Wednesday, resulting in at least one person sustaining serious injuries. The alarming incident unfolded in the canton of Obwalden, where dramatic footage captured the cabin tumbling and flipping multiple times as it rolled down the slope, leaving horrified onlookers in shock.
Eyewitness Accounts and Rescue Efforts
"It just came off the cable and started rolling," one witness recounted, describing the terrifying moment. The rescue operation was swiftly initiated, with images showing the crumpled carriage lying at the bottom of the slope and emergency responders carrying away an injured individual. The witness added, "They tried to resuscitate them for around 30 minutes," highlighting the severity of the situation.
Local reports confirmed that at least one person was badly hurt, though the full extent of injuries remains unclear. A rescue helicopter was scrambled to the scene amid fears for those inside the gondola, landing nearby to assist with the emergency response.
Weather Conditions and Resort Details
The crash occurred despite strong winds battering the region, with gusts exceeding 80km/h. According to the witness, "There was a strong wind. Then there was a jerk, and the cable moved. Finally, the cabin crashed." Some lifts at Engelberg's Titlis ski area, which features 82km of slopes and rises to 3,238 metres, had remained open at the time of the incident.
Shortly after 11am local time (10.30am GMT), a gondola broke off from the lift above the mid-station, as reported by Swiss media. Further footage depicted the rescue helicopter landing and a person requiring resuscitation after the accident.
Recent Similar Incidents in Europe
This event follows a similar cable car accident in Italy last December, where six people, including a child, were injured after a cable car slammed into a station barrier while approaching a mountain summit "too quickly." The incident took place at the Macugnaga cable car in the Verbano-Cusio-Ossola region of Piedmont.
Local media reports indicated that the cable car arrived at the station, located over 9,000ft in the air, at an excessive speed. Surrounding ski slopes were closed, and the ski lift was halted following the incident. Approximately one hundred people were left stranded and were evacuated by the National Alpine Rescue Corps via two firefighter helicopters.
The six injured individuals were immediately treated by on-site medics and were scheduled to be transported to a local hospital via air ambulance, underscoring the ongoing risks associated with alpine transportation systems.
