According to officials and local media, a cable car pod struck a pole and burst open in southern Turkey on Friday, 12 April, killing one person and injuring seven others, sending passengers to tumble to the mountainside below.
The tragedy also left scores of people stuck for hours because it shut down the entire cable car system.
According to Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya, five of the injured have been evacuated down the mountain, and attempts are underway to remove the remaining two.
He also stated on the social media site X that the rescue mission involved over 160 first responders, including Coast Guard aviation crews and mountaineering teams from throughout Turkey.
“Today, one of the poles carrying the Sarısu-Tünektepe cable car line in Antalya Konyaaltı district fell down and one of the wagons fell into the rocky area; unfortunately, 1 citizen on the cable car unfortunately lost his life and 7 people were injured.
While AFAD and Antalya Metropolitan Municipality fire brigade teams carried out rescue operations, our Coast Guard helicopter evacuated 5 people trapped in the wagon; evacuation of 2 injured people is still in progress,” the translated X post read.
Images in Turkish media showed the damaged car hanging from dislodged cables on the edge of a rugged mountain, while medics treated the injured.
Friday was the last day of a three-day public holiday in Turkey commemorating the completion of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan, during which families throng to seaside resorts.
Tourists can take the cable car from Konyaalti beach to a restaurant and viewing deck at the summit of Tunek Tepe hill, which stands at 618 metres.
Video credit: Associated Press
Turkey: Cable car crash makes one death, leaving more than 180 people stranded
