14 dead after Italian cable car snaps, falls to ground
At least 14 people were killed in northern Italy Sunday morning when a cable car they were riding plummeted to the ground.
The Stresa-Mottarone cable car line, which connects the town of Stresa on Lake Maggiore with the Mottarone mountain in the Piedmont region, likely snapped at the end of its 20-minute journey, sending the passengers into a 50-foot free fall to a wooded area below, authorities said.
Two children were rescued and hospitalized in critical condition, according to officials. One has since died.
Rescuers had to be lowered to the crash site from helicopters due to a lack of roads.
“I express the condolences on behalf of the whole government to the families of the victims, with a special thought for the children who were seriously injured and their families,” Italian Prime Minister Mario Draghi said in a statement.
Officials have not yet determined the cause of the crash, but Stresa Mayor Marcella said that a cable likely broke. The car tumbled several times after hitting the ground.
The Italian government has announced a commission to investigate the crash.
With News Wire Services