184 people who were stranded midair since Friday afternoon have been rescued after a nearly 24-hour operation. Unfortunately, one person was killed and 17 others were injured in a cable car collision with a broken pole in Antalya, Turkey.
Health Minister Fahrettin Koca stated that the injured individuals have been taken to hospitals for treatment while those who did not require hospitalization received health checks in ambulances. The accident occurred on Friday afternoon when a cable car in the Sarisu-Tunektepe system crashed into a rocky area.
Rescue efforts involved seven helicopters and over 500 rescue workers, according to the Ministry of the Interior. Istanbul resident Hatice Polat and her family, who were among those stranded, shared their terrifying experience of being in the cable car for seven hours.
A 54-year-old Turkish man lost his life in the incident, while two children and a Kyrgyz national were among the injured. An investigation has been launched, and detention orders have been issued for 13 people suspected of involvement in the accident, including employees of the cable car operating company and the maintenance company.
The cable car line, which takes tourists from Konyaalti Beach to a restaurant and viewing platform at Tunektepe peak, had undergone major inspections at the beginning of the year and routine checks throughout. Reports suggest that the accident was caused by corrosion and inadequacy at connection points of carrier poles and damage in the rolling system.