A fatal incident occurred in southern Turkey when a cable car cabin crashed after colliding with a damaged pole, resulting in one fatality and ten injuries. The accident took place on Friday evening near the popular tourist destination of Antalya, causing the cabin’s passengers to fall to the ground as the supporting pylon gave way.
Rescue Operations
Following the crash, the cable car system was immediately shut down, triggering a massive rescue effort to evacuate those stranded. Turkey’s disaster and emergency management agency successfully rescued 128 passengers from 16 cable cars by Friday night in Antalya’s Konyaaltı district. However, reports from Saturday morning indicated that 43 passengers were still trapped.
Ongoing Rescue Efforts
Over 500 rescuers, including specialist mountaineers and seven helicopters, continued rescue operations into Saturday. The Turkish interior ministry has been actively updating the public and coordinating the extensive rescue efforts.
Investigation and Accountability
The Turkish justice ministry has launched an investigation to determine the cause of the accident and assess the structural integrity of the cable car system, which is managed by the Antalya Metropolitan Municipality. The cable car route is known for transporting tourists from Konyaalti beach up to a restaurant and viewing platform at the summit of the 618-meter Tunektepe peak.
This tragic event has shocked the local community and visitors, prompting a thorough review of safety protocols for cable car systems in tourist-heavy areas.
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