The incident at the Tunektepe cable car in southern Turkey resulted in one fatality and seven injuries, including two children, when a cable car pod hit a pole and burst open, causing passengers to fall to the mountainside below. The accident occurred during the busy Eid al-Fitr holiday, with scores of people left stranded as the entire cable car system came to a standstill. Efforts to rescue the injured involved over 160 first responders, including air crews and mountaineering teams, with five of the injured being airlifted off the mountain.
Following the accident, 184 passengers were trapped in 25 other cable car pods above the ground, while engineers worked to restart the system. Despite efforts to rescue the stranded individuals, 135 people remained stuck close to midnight — approximately six hours after the incident. Images in Turkish media showed the damaged car hanging from dislodged cables on the rocky mountain as medics provided aid to the wounded. The cable car, which transports tourists from Konyaalti Beach to a restaurant and viewing platform at the summit of the Tunektepe peak, is operated by the Antalya Metropolitan Municipality.
The accident occurred on the final day of a three-day public holiday in Turkey marking the end of Ramadan, leading to an increase in visitors to coastal resorts. The Antalya Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office has launched an investigation into the incident, with an expert commission comprising mechanical and electrical engineers and health and safety experts tasked with determining the cause of the accident. Helicopters equipped with night vision imaging were dispatched to the site to assist in the rescue efforts and ensure the safety of the stranded passengers.
As the investigation into the cable car accident continues, questions arise about the maintenance and safety protocols of the cable car system in Antalya. The incident has raised concerns about the risks associated with popular tourist attractions and the need for stringent safety measures to prevent similar accidents in the future. Families and tourists visiting the region during the holiday period were left shocked by the tragic event, highlighting the importance of ensuring the safety of visitors at all tourist destinations. The local authorities are working to address the aftermath of the accident and provide support to those affected by the incident.
