Cable Car Tragedy in Italy Claims Lives of Four Tourists

At least four individuals tragically lost their lives on Thursday after a cable car plummeted down Monte Faito, near Naples, with five others injured, prompting a rescue operation for stranded passengers.

In a heart-wrenching incident on Thursday afternoon, a cable car operated by EAV crashed on Monte Faito in Italy, leading to the death of four tourists and leaving a fifth person critically injured. This catastrophic event occurred as the cable car fell down a mountainside, rolling apart before coming to a stop. Luca Cari, a spokesperson for Italy's firefighters, described the accident as “very ugly,” but the precise cause of the crash remains undetermined.

The identities of the deceased individuals have not yet been publicly disclosed, although it has been confirmed that one victim was an EAV employee. In addition to the fatalities, nine individuals found themselves trapped in a different cable car that stalled lower in the valley, resulting in a challenging rescue operation spearheaded by over 50 firefighters who utilized harnesses to safely ground the stranded passengers.

Authorities in Torre Annunziata have launched a formal investigation into the incident, attempting to ascertain the causes behind this tragic event. Compounding the situation, adverse weather conditions, including high winds and dense fog, hindered rescue efforts. Vincenzo De Luca, governor of the Campania Region encompassing Monte Faito, highlighted the significance of the cable car to the area's tourism, facilitating travel from Castellammare di Stabia to a stunning plateau boasting views of the Gulf of Naples and Mount Vesuvius.

This incident echoes a previous cable car disaster in Italy in 2021, which resulted in 14 fatalities due to a snapped cable and brake failure. Additionally, a shocking incident in 1998 saw a U.S. military jet sever the cable of a ski lift in the Dolomites, resulting in 20 deaths, marking it as one of the deadliest accidents in the history of Italian cable cars. Umberto De Gregorio, chairman of EAV, referred to the recent tragedy as an “unimaginable and unpredictable tragedy,” noting that the cable car had just resumed operations for the tourist season.

Reporting on this ongoing story, Elisabetta Povoledo will continue to update the public as more information emerges regarding the victims and the investigation into this heartbreaking incident.