The rescue operation to save 174 people stranded in cable cars high above a mountain in southern Turkey was successfully completed nearly 23 hours after one pod hit a pole, killing one person and injuring seven others. Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya announced the successful completion of the rescue operation, which involved 607 search and rescue personnel and 10 helicopters. Helicopters with night-vision capabilities were used to continue rescuing people throughout the night. The stranded individuals had been stuck on the Tunektepe cable car, just outside Antalya, since the accident occurred on Friday afternoon.
Among those rescued was Istanbul resident Hatice Polat and her family, who described a terrifying experience where the pod they were in lost power and flipped multiple times. She recounted that the night was filled with fear and trauma, especially for the children who were with them. Anadolu Agency identified the deceased as a 54-year-old Turkish man, with the injured including two children and six Turkish citizens, as well as one Kyrgyz national. The injured individuals were rescued by Coast Guard helicopters and sent for treatment. Images in Turkish media showed the battered car swaying from dislodged cables on the side of the rocky mountain as medics tended to the wounded.
Thirteen other people who were rescued from different cars were also taken to hospitals for checkups. The incident occurred on the final day of a three-day public holiday in Turkey marking the end of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan, with families flocking to coastal resorts. The cable car is operated by Antalya Metropolitan Municipality and carries tourists from Konyaalti beach to a restaurant and viewing platform at the summit of the 2,010-foot Tunektepe peak. The cable car line was completed in 2017 and undergoes major inspections at the beginning of the year, as well as routine inspections throughout the year.
The Antalya Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office has launched an investigation into the incident, with an expert commission consisting of mechanical and electrical engineers, as well as health and safety experts, assigned to determine the cause of the accident. The tragic event has raised concerns about the safety of cable cars and the procedures in place for emergencies. The survivors of the ordeal, including those who were injured, will likely face a long road to recovery mentally and physically as they process the trauma of the terrifying experience. The successful rescue operation was a testament to the efforts of the search and rescue personnel and emergency response teams who worked tirelessly to bring all the stranded individuals to safety.
