Investigation after 14 people die in cable car accident in Italian Alps

23rd May 2021

Last modified on May 24th, 2021

It happened on Sunday near the town of Stresa in Piedmont near Lake Maggiora. 2 children survived. An investigation is underway. UPDATED

The passengers were taking a scenic trip up a nearby mountain and it plunged to the ground 300m from the summit of the mountain.

It came to rest on a steep wooded slope lodged between trees.

The rescue services have described it as a “very serious accident”.

There were 15 people in the cabin at the time of the crash.

The cabin can take up to 40 passengers.

Two children, aged 5 and 9, were taken by air ambulance to hospital in Turin, but the eldest has since died from injuries.

🔴 #Piemonte, funivia #StresaMottarone: il 118 piemontese ha confermato che 9 persone sono decedute, mentre 2 minorenni sono stati elitrasportati in codice rosso a Torino. Proseguono le operazioni di Soccorso Alpino, @emergenzavvf, 118, @_Carabinieri_ e altri enti dello Stato. pic.twitter.com/ommsfJ4qm4
— Corpo Nazionale Soccorso Alpino e Speleologico (@cnsas_official) May 23, 2021

The Prime Minister of Italy, Mario Draghi, has described the crash as a “tragic accident”.

“I express the condolences of the whole Government to the families of the victims, with a special thought for the seriously injured children and their families,” the Prime Minister said in a statement.

🔴 #Verbania #23maggio, caduta una cabina della funivia che collega Stresa-Alpino-Mottarone. Risultano persone decedute, il bilancio è provvisorio. Squadre #vigilidelfuoco al lavoro. Sul posto l’elicottero del reparto volo di Varese [13:50 #23maggio] pic.twitter.com/y4SnbDNNjz
— Vigili del Fuoco (@emergenzavvf) May 23, 2021