ROME — A tragic incident occurred south of Naples as a mountain cable car crashed into a ravine, claiming the lives of four individuals, including three tourists and the Italian driver, according to officials on Saturday. Among those who perished was a couple from Britain. The U.K.’s Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office expressed its support for the bereaved families and is in contact with the Italian authorities.
Originally thought to be siblings, officials clarified on Saturday that the British couple were not related. The third foreign national identified among the victims was an Israeli woman. Meanwhile, a fifth person, reportedly her brother, remains in a critical but stable condition at a hospital in Naples.
Preliminary findings suggest a traction cable might have snapped as the cable car was nearing the peak of Monte Faito in Castellammare di Stabia. Unexpectedly, the car halted just shy of the station some 1,050 meters (3,400 feet) above ground, before plunging into the ravine.
In a separate but related incident, sixteen passengers had to be rescued from another cable car that was stranded in mid-air at the mountain’s base. The cable line, a popular attraction due to its scenic views of Mount Vesuvius and the Bay of Naples, had just resumed operations after being inactive for the off-season, bringing in roughly 110,000 visitors annually.
Rescue operations faced significant difficulties due to the adverse weather, with more than 50 firefighters and emergency personnel braving challenging conditions such as fog and strong winds.
Luigi Vicinanza, mayor of Castellammare di Stabia, noted that although emergency brakes downstream functioned correctly, the brake on the malfunctioning cabin failed as it approached the station. He assured that regular safety assessments of the 3-kilometer (1.8-mile) cable car service, typically connecting the town to the mountain peak, had been conducted.
Officials have launched an investigation into potential charges of manslaughter, scrutinizing elements such as the cable stations, pylons, cabins, and cables. EAV, the company managing the cable car service, confirmed that all necessary safety measures were completed prior to the recent reopening. EAV President, Umberto De Gregorio, remarked on the shock of the incident given the recent comprehensive tests and maintained that severe weather was not a contributory factor.
The historic Monte Faito cable car, operational since 1952, had faced tragedy before when a pylon broke in 1960, resulting in four deaths. Tragically, similar cable car accidents have occurred in Italy, including a 2021 incident in northern Italy that left 14 dead, and a 1998 accident involving a U.S. military jet striking a ski lift cable, ending 20 lives in the Dolomites.