Pakistan suspends aerial rescue of children trapped in cable car

author: FutureCar Staff    

A ground-based rescue operation is underway to reach people still trapped in a cable car that is hanging over a ravine in Pakistan. The attempt to rescue those trapped was temporarily suspended due to nightfall, but Pakistani special forces managed to rescue some of the children from the broken cable car earlier.

Currently, there are six children and two adults stuck in the cable car, which is dangling 274 meters (900 feet) above the ground. Although two children were initially rescued by a helicopter, the operation had to be halted due to darkness.

To facilitate the ground-based rescue, floodlights have been installed at the site, allowing the operation to continue even after 12 hours of the cable car being stuck. The rescue mission involves soldiers hanging from a sling in an attempt to reach the remaining trapped individuals.

The incident occurred as the children were on their way to school in a mountainous area in Battagram, approximately 124 miles (200 kilometers) north of Islamabad. Pakistani caretaker Prime Minister Anwaar-ul-Haq Kakar has instructed authorities to utilize all available resources to complete the rescue operation as quickly as possible.

The rescue mission has been complicated by strong winds in the area and the risk that the helicopter's rotor blades could further destabilize the cable car. Television footage showed one child being lifted off the cable car by a helicopter and safely brought to the ground.

Headmaster Ali Asghar Khan expressed concern for the trapped children, stating that they are teenage boys and students of his government high school Battangi Pashto. He mentioned that parents are anxiously waiting for the rescue officials to bring their children to safety.

Chairlifts are commonly used by villagers in Pakistan's mountainous regions for shorter distances, but poorly maintained chairlifts often result in injuries and fatalities. In 2017, a cable car lift in the popular mountain resort of Murree broke and fell into a deep ravine, causing the death of ten people.

Overall, the rescue operation is ongoing, with authorities facing challenges due to weather conditions and the precarious situation of the cable car. Efforts are being made to ensure the safe rescue of all those trapped.

FutureCar Staff