Cable car’s cable snaps mid-air in Pakistan; 6 children stuck, rescue ops underway
The incident happened in Khyber Pakhunkhwa’s Battagram, Pakistan and armed forces have begun a rescue operation. Children were using the cable car to cross the valley to get to school when a cable broke midway.
- Aug 22, 2023,
- Updated Aug 22, 2023 5:07 PM IST
In an unfortunate incident, six children and two adults got trapped in a cable car hanging 274 metres (900ft) in Pakistan’s Battagram after two of its wires snapped early morning on Tuesday.
The incident happened in Khyber Pakhunkhwa’s Battagram and armed forces have begun a rescue operation. Children were using the cable car to cross the valley to get to school when a cable broke midway, reported DAWN.
The unfortunate incident happened at around 7:00 am PKT, and, to alert the neighbourhood officials, residents used the mosque’s loudspeakers. "The cable car is suspended by a single rope. There are a minimum of eight occupants primarily consisting of schoolchildren," Abdul Basit Khan, a senior official for the provincial rescue agency, told French international news agency AFP.
"For God's sake help us," Gulfraz, a man stuck in the cable car, told Pakistan television channel Geo News by phone; he also confirmed that eight people were on board at the time.
"It has been nearly five hours since we are stuck mid-air. The situation is so bad that one man has already fainted. A helicopter arrived but left without conducting any operations,” he said.
"The cable car is stuck in a place where it is almost impossible to help without a helicopter," Zulfiqar Khan, an official with Pakistan's 1122 rescue service, told AFP.
Allai District Assistant Commissioner Jawad Hussain said two helicopters belonging to the Pakistan Army and the Pakistan Air Force are at the site. The operation is being conducted by the armed forces special unit, reported DAWN.
The report further states that one of the commandos made two attempts to move towards the cable car. Now that the helicopter has moved away and the backup helicopter is hovering above the cable car.
Shariq Riaz Khattak, a rescue official, told Reuters that the rescue mission is complicated due to gusty winds in the area and the fact the helicopters’ rotor blades risk further destabilising the lift. Moreover, sunset in Battagram is expected at 6:48 pm.
The National Disaster Management Agency said in a statement that six children and two adults were on board at a height of at least 900 feet.
The rescue operation is currently underway.
In an unfortunate incident, six children and two adults got trapped in a cable car hanging 274 metres (900ft) in Pakistan’s Battagram after two of its wires snapped early morning on Tuesday.
The incident happened in Khyber Pakhunkhwa’s Battagram and armed forces have begun a rescue operation. Children were using the cable car to cross the valley to get to school when a cable broke midway, reported DAWN.
The unfortunate incident happened at around 7:00 am PKT, and, to alert the neighbourhood officials, residents used the mosque’s loudspeakers. "The cable car is suspended by a single rope. There are a minimum of eight occupants primarily consisting of schoolchildren," Abdul Basit Khan, a senior official for the provincial rescue agency, told French international news agency AFP.
"For God's sake help us," Gulfraz, a man stuck in the cable car, told Pakistan television channel Geo News by phone; he also confirmed that eight people were on board at the time.
"It has been nearly five hours since we are stuck mid-air. The situation is so bad that one man has already fainted. A helicopter arrived but left without conducting any operations,” he said.
"The cable car is stuck in a place where it is almost impossible to help without a helicopter," Zulfiqar Khan, an official with Pakistan's 1122 rescue service, told AFP.
Allai District Assistant Commissioner Jawad Hussain said two helicopters belonging to the Pakistan Army and the Pakistan Air Force are at the site. The operation is being conducted by the armed forces special unit, reported DAWN.
The report further states that one of the commandos made two attempts to move towards the cable car. Now that the helicopter has moved away and the backup helicopter is hovering above the cable car.
Shariq Riaz Khattak, a rescue official, told Reuters that the rescue mission is complicated due to gusty winds in the area and the fact the helicopters’ rotor blades risk further destabilising the lift. Moreover, sunset in Battagram is expected at 6:48 pm.
The National Disaster Management Agency said in a statement that six children and two adults were on board at a height of at least 900 feet.
The rescue operation is currently underway.