A woman was killed when a ski gondola crashed down a snowy mountain at Engelberg ski resort in the Swiss Alps, local officials say. Police in the central Swiss canton of Nidwalden stated that the gondola detached from the cable 'for reasons that are still unclear' around 11:00 (10:00 GMT) on Wednesday.
Eyewitnesses reported strong winds buffeting the mountainside at the time of the crash. Dramatic footage has surfaced showing the gondola tumbling down Mt Titlis, flipping over multiple times before finally coming to a halt.
Authorities confirmed that the victim was a 61-year-old woman from the region. Police stated that she was the sole occupant of the Titlis Xpress ski gondola when it detached shortly after departing the Trübsee station and was ascending the mountain.
Rescue operations involved air services, ambulances, and police officers, with an additional video documenting rescuers navigating deep snow to reach the accident site. Witness reports indicated that gusts of wind reached over 80 km/h (50 mph), surpassing the threshold at which the gondola service is typically suspended, which is 60 km/h.
One witness recounted her shock, saying, 'My mother looked at me and said suddenly - look, a gondola is falling.' A group of schoolchildren at a local ski camp also witnessed the incident, expressing fear of using the gondolas afterward.
The cable car service was halted, leading to the safe evacuation of between 100 and 200 passengers from approximately 40 gondolas. The ski lift management expressed their condolences, stating, 'Our thoughts are with the victim's loved ones.' The investigation into the cause of the detachment continues.
Eyewitnesses reported strong winds buffeting the mountainside at the time of the crash. Dramatic footage has surfaced showing the gondola tumbling down Mt Titlis, flipping over multiple times before finally coming to a halt.
Authorities confirmed that the victim was a 61-year-old woman from the region. Police stated that she was the sole occupant of the Titlis Xpress ski gondola when it detached shortly after departing the Trübsee station and was ascending the mountain.
Rescue operations involved air services, ambulances, and police officers, with an additional video documenting rescuers navigating deep snow to reach the accident site. Witness reports indicated that gusts of wind reached over 80 km/h (50 mph), surpassing the threshold at which the gondola service is typically suspended, which is 60 km/h.
One witness recounted her shock, saying, 'My mother looked at me and said suddenly - look, a gondola is falling.' A group of schoolchildren at a local ski camp also witnessed the incident, expressing fear of using the gondolas afterward.
The cable car service was halted, leading to the safe evacuation of between 100 and 200 passengers from approximately 40 gondolas. The ski lift management expressed their condolences, stating, 'Our thoughts are with the victim's loved ones.' The investigation into the cause of the detachment continues.
