Cable car crash in Antalya kills one, leaves many stranded

A rescue team work with passengers of a cable car transportation systems outside Antalya, southern Turkey, April, Friday 12, 2024.

One person died and seven were injured on Friday when a cable car pod struck a pole and burst open in southern Turkey, causing passengers to fall to the mountainside below, according to officials and local media.

The incident also left scores stranded for hours as it halted the entire cable car system.

Mayor of Antalya, Muhittin Böcek said that efforts are ongoing to rescue 184 people trapped in the cable car.

Rope systems are being used for the rescue operations and night-vision helicopters are heading to the area, Böcek said. “There are currently 184 of our citizens in 25 cabins. God willing, we will safely rescue all of them.” the Mayor added.

Five of the injured were airlifted off the mountain, and efforts were ongoing to evacuate the remaining two, according to the Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya. He also shared on the social media site X that the rescue operation included over 160 first responders, such as air crews from the Coast Guard and mountaineering teams from various regions of Turkey.

Images in Turkish media showed the damaged car hanging from dislodged cables on the side of a rocky mountain while medics attended to the wounded.

Friday was the final day of a three-day public holiday in Turkey marking the end of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan, which sees families flock to coastal resorts.

The cable car carries tourists from Konyaalti beach to a restaurant and viewing platform at the summit of the 618-metre Tunektepe peak.