Tragedy Strikes as Cable Car Accident Leaves One Dead and Several Injured in Turkey
In a harrowing ordeal that lasted nearly 23 hours, the last of 174 people stranded in cable cars high above a mountain in southern Turkey have finally been brought to safety. The incident occurred when one pod hit a pole and burst open, resulting in the death of one person and injuries to seven others.
Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya announced the successful completion of the rescue operation on Saturday afternoon, with a total of 607 search and rescue personnel and 10 helicopters involved in the mission. Helicopters with night-vision capabilities worked tirelessly throughout the night to rescue the stranded individuals who had been stuck on the Tunektepe cable car near Antalya since the accident on Friday evening.
Among those rescued was Istanbul resident Hatice Polat and her family, who described the terrifying experience of being trapped in the swaying pod for seven hours. She recounted how the power went out and the pod flipped multiple times, causing fear and trauma among the passengers, especially the children.
The deceased was identified as a 54-year-old Turkish man, while the injured included two children and six Turkish citizens, as well as one Kyrgyz national. They were all rescued by Coast Guard helicopters and taken for treatment. Images in Turkish media showed the battered car hanging precariously from dislodged cables on the rocky mountainside as medics tended to the wounded.
The cable car line, operated by Antalya Metropolitan Municipality, carries tourists from Konyaalti beach to a restaurant and viewing platform at the summit of the 618-meter Tunektepe peak. An investigation has been launched by the Antalya Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office, with an expert commission assigned to determine the cause of the incident.
As Turkey marked the end of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan with a three-day public holiday, this tragic accident serves as a stark reminder of the importance of safety measures in tourist attractions and the need for thorough inspections to prevent such incidents in the future.