Two children have been successfully rescued from a cable car that had become stuck for several hours over a ravine in north-west Pakistan. The incident occurred near the city of Battagram in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, where a group of eight individuals, including the children, found themselves stranded due to a cable snap. The cable car, which was dangling 274 meters (900 feet) above the ground, had been en route to a local school, with the passengers including a 16-year-old boy with a heart condition who had been unconscious for hours.
Efforts to rescue the trapped individuals were led by military personnel who made multiple attempts to reach the cable car. Despite challenges posed by gusty winds and the potential for the helicopter rotor blades to destabilize the situation, four rescue helicopters were deployed. The operation, which included dropping supplies like water and food, proved difficult due to the precarious nature of the cable car’s position.
The incident drew attention to the challenging transportation situation in the region. The journey to the school usually takes around two hours by road due to the mountainous terrain. However, the cable car reduces this travel time to just four minutes, making it an essential mode of transport for about 150 people who rely on it daily. This part of Pakistan, characterized by its lack of infrastructure, often uses chair-lifts and cable cars for intermountain transportation.
The rescue mission was complicated by hot and humid weather conditions, along with intermittent gusty winds and the approaching darkness of the night. Despite the difficulties, rescue workers and authorities remained committed to ensuring the safety of the stranded individuals, which included children aged between 10 and 16 years old.
The incident prompted Pakistan’s acting prime minister to address the issue of privately-operated lifts and chairlifts, stressing the need for safety inspections. He expressed his concern about the alarming situation and the necessity of ensuring the safety of transportation methods to prevent such accidents in the future.
As efforts continue to rescue the remaining passengers from the cable car, anxious crowds have gathered on either side of the valley to watch the operation unfold. Relatives of those trapped in the cable car, along with concerned members of the community, have been waiting at the scene, demonstrating the gravity of the situation and the shared hope for a successful rescue.
