In the southern Turkish province of Antalya, one person lost their life, and 17 others sustained injuries following a collision between a cable car cabin and a broken pole, as reported by the country’s health and justice ministers.
Health Minister Fahrettin Koca stated on the social media platform X that the injured individuals had been transported to hospitals for treatment, and their medical care is ongoing.
According to Koca, those who were rescued and declined hospital transport underwent health checks in ambulances.
The incident occurred late Friday afternoon when one cable car in the Sarisu-Tunektepe system crashed into a rocky area.
After approximately 24 hours of rescue operations, Turkey’s state-run Anadolu Agency reported that 184 people stranded since the accident had been successfully rescued.
According to a statement on X, the Ministry of the Interior disclosed that seven helicopters and over 500 rescue workers were involved in the rescue operations.
Hatice Polat, an Istanbul resident, and her family were rescued after enduring seven hours of the ordeal.
Recounting the harrowing experience to Anadolu, she described how the power outage caused the pod to flip four or five times.
“The night was awful, we were very scared. There were children with us, they passed out,” she said.
“It was torture being up there for seven hours. It is swaying every second, you’re constantly in fear. … It was very traumatic, I don’t know how we’ll get over this trauma.”
Anadolu identified the deceased as a 54-year-old Turkish man. Among the injured were two children, Turkish citizens, and a Kyrgyz national.
Pictures in Turkish media depicted the damaged cable car swaying from dislodged cables on the rocky mountain’s side while medics attended to the injured.
Videos shared by the interior and health ministries showcased rescue teams secured by safety ropes as they ascended into the cabins.
The cable car shuttles tourists from Konyaalti Beach to a restaurant and observation deck atop the 618-meter (2,028-foot) Tunektepe peak. Operations are managed by the Antalya Metropolitan Municipality.
The cable car line, completed in 2017, undergoes a major inspection at the year’s onset, with routine checks conducted throughout.
Yilmaz Tunc, Turkey’s justice minister, announced an investigation into the incident, with detention orders issued for 13 individuals.
According to Tunc, a preliminary report attributed the accident to corrosion and inadequacy at the connection points of the carrier poles, alongside damage in the rolling system.
Among those ordered for detention are employees of the operating company, the maintenance and repair firm responsible for the line.
YOU MAY ALSO READ: African Union orders Mali to provide post-coup transition ‘roadmap’ after suspending political activities