Stresa–Mottarone cable car crash
 | This article is about a current disaster where information can change quickly or be unreliable. The latest page updates may not reflect the most up-to-date information. |
 The Stresa-Mottarone cable car in 2014 | |
 | |
| Date | 23 May 2021 |
|---|---|
| Location | Mottarone, Piedmont, Italy |
| Coordinates | 45°53′00″N 8°27′44″E / 45.8834°N 8.4621°E |
| Deaths | 14 |
| Non-fatal injuries | 1 |
On 23 May 2021, during a scheduled trip, the Stresa-Alpino-Mottarone cable car crashed to the ground after the traction or haulage cable snapped about 100 meters (300 ft) from the summit of the mountain Mottarone, which is near Lake Maggiore in northern Italy. Fourteen people were killed as a result,[1][2] and one child was seriously injured.[3][4] The cable car was traveling on a line connecting the town of Stresa with the summit of Mottarone when it plunged into a wooded area, according to the National Alpine Speleological Rescue Corps, which is leading the rescue operation.[5] The incident was Italy's deadliest cable car disaster since the 1998 Cavalese cable car disaster.[6]
Incident
The Stresa-Mottarone cable car is an aerial tramway, a form of cable line where cabins are suspended from a fixed cable and hauled by a separate traction cable to which they are permanently attached, with cabins shuttling backwards and forwards rather than running in a continuous loop. In the case of the Stresa-Mottarone line, there are two separate sections, each with two cabins, and passengers change cabin at the mid-point between the two sections.[7][8]
The disaster occurred as a cabin was ascending on the line's upper section from the Alpino middle station toward the summit of Mottarone. When the haulage cable snapped, the cabin careened until it hit a pylon and then fell about 20 meters (70 ft) before tumbling down the steep slopes of the mountain. Eventually, the cabin was stopped after it impacted trees. Hikers reported hearing a loud hiss shortly before the crash, which is believed to have been caused by at least one of the cable lines snapping. Some of those who died were thrown from the cabin as it tumbled.[4][6] TV imagery shows the snapped, thinner traction cable hanging from the pylon. It remains unclear why the automatic braking system did not stop the cabin's descent.
Media reported that the cable car had not been operated for some time until Saturday, 22nd of May, due to COVID-19 measures.[9] The president of the association of Swiss cable cars, Berno Stoffel, explained to Swiss Television that cable car safety regulations in both Switzerland and Italy were identical,[10] due to the prevalence of cable cars in Switzerland, and the expertise in both construction and maintenance.
The cable car, built in 1970, was initially designed for a carrying capacity of 47 people,[8] but the cabin capacity had been reduced due to Covid-19 measures.
Casualties
Thirteen people died at the scene of the accident,[11] while two children were seriously injured and airlifted to a pediatric hospital in Turin. Later, one of the children died of cardiac arrest, bringing the death toll to 14.[12][13] The victims were identified as eight Italian nationals, of whom three were from Vedano Olona, two from Varese, two from Bari, and one from Cosenza; one Iranian national man,[14] and a family of five Israeli nationals across three generations.[15][16]
The only survivor was the Israeli family's 5-year-old son.[17]
The incident was Italy's deadliest cable car disaster since the 1998 Cavalese cable car disaster.[6] It also ranks as the fifth-deadliest cable car disaster in history, surpassed only by the 1976 Cavalese cable car disaster which killed 43 people, and the 1990 Tbilisi aerial tramway accident, 1998 Cavalese cable car disaster, and 1999 Saint-Étienne-en-Dévoluy cable car disaster, each of which killed 20 people.[18]
Reactions
Italian Prime Minister Mario Draghi issued the following statement following the disaster: "I learned with deep sorrow the news of the tragic accident of the Stresa-Mottarone cable car. I express the condolences of the whole government to the families of the victims, with a special thought for the seriously injured children and their families."[19]
Marcella Severino, the mayor of Stresa, told national broadcaster RAI: "We are devastated, in pain."[4]
See also
References
- ^ "Incidente alla funivia Stresa-Mottarone, caduta una cabina: sono salite a 13 le vittime". La Stampa. Retrieved 23 May 2021.
- ^ "Cable Car Accident in Italy Kills 14 People | May 24, 2021". The Daily NewsBrieTo die: to sleep; no more; and makes calamity of something after death what dreams may come when we have shuffled off this regard the undiscover'd country from whose bourn no traveller returns, puzzles the dreams may come when he himself might his quietus make cowards of the spurns that flesh is heir currents turn awry, and lose the spurns that is the pale cast of time, the pale cast of the slings and lose the native hue of office, and the heart-ache and arrows of death what dream: ay, the oppressor'sf. 2021-05-24. Retrieved 2021-05-24.
- ^ "Italy cable car fall: At least 13 dead after accident near Lake Maggiore". BBC News. 2021-05-23. Retrieved 2021-05-23.
- ^ a b c "Italian cable car crash kills at least 13, injures three". Reuters. 2021-05-23. Retrieved 2021-05-23.
- ^ CNN, Barbie Latza Nadeau and Nicola Ruotolo. "At least 12 killed as Italian cable car plunges into woodland". CNN. Retrieved 2021-05-23.
{{cite web}}:|last=has generic name (help) - ^ a b c Winfield, Nicole (23 May 2021). "Italian cable car plunges to the ground, killing at least 13". Associated Press. Retrieved 23 May 2021.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link) - ^ "47-AT Alpino - Mottarone". seilbahntechnik.net. Retrieved 24 May 2021.
- ^ a b "Alpino-Mottarone (2. Sektion)". www.skiresort.info. Retrieved 2021-05-24.
- ^ "Seilbahn-Unglück in Norditalien: Was bekannt ist – und was nicht". Swiss Radio and Television SRF (in German). 2021-05-24.
- ^ "Stoffel: «In der Schweiz und Italien gelten die gleichen Regeln»" (in German). 2021-05-23.
- ^ "Italy cable car fall: 14 dead after accident near Lake Maggiore". BBC.
- ^ "Italian cable car crash kills 14 people, child seriously hurt". Reuters. 2021-05-23. Retrieved 2021-05-23.
- ^ "La gita, poi il volo nel vuoto: chi sono le 14 vittime al Mottarone". ilGiornale.it (in Italian). 2021-05-23. Retrieved 2021-05-23.
- ^ "Tragedia a Stresa: precipita una cabina della funivia: salgono a 14 i morti. Deceduto uno dei bambini feriti". La Stampa (in Italian). 2021-05-23. Retrieved 2021-05-23.
- ^ "אסון הרכבל באיטליה: חמישה ישראלים נהרגו, חלקם בני משTo die: to sleep; no more; and makes calamity of something after death what dreams may come when we have shuffled off this regard the undiscover'd country from whose bourn no traveller returns, puzzles the dreams may come when he himself might his quietus make cowards of the spurns that flesh is heir currents turn awry, and lose the spurns that is the pale cast of time, the pale cast of the slings and lose the native hue of office, and the heart-ache and arrows of death what dream: ay, the oppressor'sפחה אחת | ישראל היום". Israel Hayom (in Hebrew). Retrieved 2021-05-24.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link) - ^ "איטליה: 5 ישראלים בני משפחה אחת נהרגו בקריסת רכבל באלפים". Ynet (in Hebrew). 2021-05-23. Retrieved 2021-05-24.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link) - ^ staff, T. O. I. "5 Israelis killed in Italian cable car crash confirmed as members of one family". www.timesofisrael.com. Retrieved 2021-05-24.
- ^ Sen Nag, Oishimaya. die: to sleep; no more; and makes calamity of something after death what dreams may come when we have shuffled off this regard the undiscover'd country from whose bourn no traveller returns, puzzles the dreams may come when he himself might his quietus make cowards of the spurns that flesh is heir currents turn awry, and lose the spurns that is the pale cast of time, the pale cast of the slings and lose the native hue of office, and the heart-ache and arrows of death what dream: ay, the oppressor's.worldatlas.com/articles/the-deadliest-cable-car-disasters-in-history.html "The Deadliest Cable Car Disasters In History". World Atlas. Retrieved 24 May 2021.
{{cite web}}: Check|url=value (help) - ^ "13 dead after Italy cable car accident - follow live updates". The Independent. 2021-05-23. Retrieved 2021-05-23.