Rescued Pakistani children's terrifying ordeal

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【Summary】Schoolchildren in Pakistan were rescued from a broken cable car after a 16-hour ordeal. They feared death as their parents tried to console them over the phone. The children were rescued using helicopters and a makeshift chairlift. The cable cars in the area are often poorly maintained, leading to accidents. The owner of the cable car has been arrested, and authorities plan to close unsafe cable cars.

FutureCar Staff Aug 23, 2023 7:32 AM PT

Rescued Pakistani children's terrifying ordeal

Schoolchildren who were rescued from a broken cable car dangling high above a valley in Pakistan shared their harrowing experience on Wednesday. They revealed that they repeatedly feared death during the 16-hour ordeal, even as their parents tried to console them over the phone. The rescue operation took place on Tuesday and involved six children and two adults.

During the rescue, one of the youngest children was grabbed by a commando attached to a helicopter by rope, while the others were lowered to the ground in a makeshift chairlift made from a wooden bed frame and ropes. Fifteen-year-old Osama Sharif, one of the rescued children, expressed his awe at witnessing the miraculous rescue. He was on his way to school to receive his final exam results when the cable snapped, causing panic among the passengers.

As the situation unfolded, some of the passengers on board had cellphones and immediately started making calls. Worried parents tried to reassure their children, telling them that help was on the way. After several hours, the passengers spotted helicopters flying in the air, bringing hope to their desperate situation.

Locally made cable cars are a common form of transportation in the mountainous Battagram district in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, allowing for faster travel to schools, workplaces, and businesses. However, due to poor maintenance, accidents resulting in injuries and deaths occur frequently.

In response to the cable car accident, the owner of the cable car, Gul Zarin, was arrested on charges of negligence. Local authorities in the mountainous regions also announced the closure of all cable cars deemed unsafe. Thousands of people gathered to witness the risky rescue operation, which involved helicopters and the use of a makeshift chairlift.

As darkness fell and the helicopters could no longer fly, rescuers shifted their tactics. They employed a makeshift chairlift to approach the cable car using the one remaining intact cable. Shouts of relief and gratitude erupted as the chairlift safely reached the ground just before midnight. The children were provided with oxygen as a precaution before being reunited with their tearful parents.

Two of the rescued children, Rizwan Ullah and Gul Faraz, expressed the lasting impact the ordeal had on them, stating that they would never forget the experience. Gul Faraz urged the government to build new roads to connect their village with other areas, eliminating the need for the dangerous cable car. Despite the fear still lingering in their minds, Ata Ullah, another rescued student, acknowledged that he would have to use the cable car again when it is repaired.