A cable car accident near the city of Castellammare di Stabia in southern Italy has resulted in the deaths of four people, with one seriously injured.
The incident occurred when a cable on the funicular transporting tourists to Mount Faito, about three kilometers from the city, snapped, causing one of the cabins to crash.
“Four lifeless bodies were found, while the fifth injured person was rescued and taken to hospital,” the fire department confirmed in a Telegram post.
Local authorities reported that rescue operations were hampered by adverse weather conditions, including dense fog and strong winds. Over 50 firefighters were deployed to the scene.
One cable car cabin, carrying 16 passengers, was near the city and landed safely. However, the other cabin was suspended over a precipice on Mount Faito, significantly delaying rescue efforts.
The funicular had reopened just ten days prior for the summer season. Prosecutors have launched an investigation into the accident’s causes.
“The funicular reopened with all the required safety conditions. What happened is an unimaginable and unpredictable tragedy,” declared Umberto de Gregorio, head of the company managing the funicular.
Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni expressed her condolences for the victims in a statement from her office.
The funicular has been in operation since 1952. Similar accidents have occurred in Italy in the past – in 1960, another incident on the same funicular resulted in four deaths, and in 2021, a tragedy in northern Italy claimed the lives of 14 people.
