Italian cable car plunges to the ground, killing at least 14

[Omaha Steve]

Source: AP

By NICOLE WINFIELD

ROME (AP) — A cable car taking visitors to a mountaintop view of some of northern Italy’s most picturesque lakes plummeted to the ground Sunday and then tumbled down the slope, killing 14 people. A young child was hospitalized in serious condition with broken bones, authorities said.

Stresa Mayor Marcella Severino said it appeared that a cable broke, sending the car careening until it hit a pylon and then fell to the ground. At that point, the car overturned “two or three times before hitting some trees,” she said. Some of those who died were thrown from the cabin.

The Italian government announced a commission to investigate the disaster, which is likely to renew questions about the quality and safety of Italy’s transport infrastructure.

Images from the site showed the crumpled car in a clearing of a thick patch of pine trees near the summit of the Mottarone peak overlooking Lake Maggiore. The car was believed to have fallen around 15 meters (50 feet), according to Italian media.



Rescuers work by the wreckage of a cable car after it collapsed near the summit of the Stresa-Mottarone line in the Piedmont region, northern Italy, Sunday, May 23, 2022. A mountaintop cable car plunged to the ground in northern Italy on Sunday, killing at least five people and sending at least three more to the hospital, authorities said. (Soccorso Alpino e Speleologico Piemontese via AP)


Read more: https://apnews.com/article/italy-cable-car-84672bf7fcd99f103587cc3862b49dcc

[dalton99a]

1. "The cable line had been renovated in 2016"

[rickyhall]

2. "You mean, the only thing keeping us from dying is that itty bitty cable?"

He asks as climbs in and sits down.

[Hugh_Lebowski]

3. Didn't a big ass bridge collapse in Italy like 2-3 years ago? nt

[mahatmakanejeeves]

20. Ponte Morandi

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ponte_Morandi

[JudyM]

4. Terrifying last moments, ugh.

[greenjar_01]

5. So it wasn't hot-dogging US military flyers, like last time?

[maxsolomon]

6. Every time I'm in a cable car, this flashes through my mind.

What a nightmare.

[2naSalit]

8. Me too.

I have been on a few but they terrify me all the same.

[maxsolomon]

9. I've been in the Whistler Peak-to-Peak multiple times.

28 people plus ski gear, 1400' above the creek.

It stopped freaking me out because once you leave the station, it's fate. Nothing you can do.

[2naSalit]

17. That's it...

I feel the same every time I fly, commercial or not. I'm working on getting my nerves geared up for some air travel I have to do over the first half of next month, I'm thankful I was able to find a nonstop flight for that trip so I only have to get through take off and landing once each way. The second is a 6 hour drive but a spectacularly scenic route so I have problem about that and I'm driving alone so the drive will be nice. No cable cars involved, thank goodness.

[Warpy]

10. Not me. Here in town, I was always looking out the window

and trying to spot wildlife. I've seen a couple of bears but mostly ground squirrels and other such critters.

Few people have ever joined me, there are a couple of sheer drops on the way that make them go quite green.

[Polybius]

11. So why go back?

If I'm terrified of something, I won't do it again.

[maxsolomon]

12. because it is an irrational (mostly) fear and I won't let it rule me.

emotions pass.

[Steelrolled]

15. I know a number of people who hate flying

but really have no choice.

[Polybius]

16. That's different because flying is extremely convenient for work, vacation, or far visits

Cable cars are purely recreational.

[ForgoTheConsequence]

18. They're also used for public transit.

...

[mahina]

23. The individuals perceived weigh risk and benefits

And make their choices. Why else?

[MyOwnPeace]

7. Thank goodness.....

We have politicians who care about OUR infrastructure so we don’t have to worry about things like an interstate bridge collapsing....
(I-35 - Mississippi River)

[Marrah_Goodman]

13. omg horrifying.

I can't inagine what their last moments were like.

[Steelrolled]

14. "likely to renew questions about the quality and safety of Italy's transport infrastructure"

I have to wonder how this event relates to Italy’s transport infrastructure, in any meaningful way.

[muriel_volestrangler]

19. It transports people to the top of the mountain

Even if it's operated by a private company (and, more typically, things like this are operated by a municipal corporation), it's transport.

[Steelrolled]

21. I agree it is transport in a technical sense.

[oasis]

22. Terrible, inexcusable accident. nt