Last Updated: July 08, 2023, 14:53 IST
Around 78 people were rescued in Ecuador after being trapped for more than 10 hours. (Credits: Twitter)
Videos of the rescue show emergency workers huddled in the dark, with the city mayor present on site, as rescue efforts continued through Friday
Dozens of people were rescued from one of the world’s highest cable car systems after a technical failure led at least 70 people trapped in Ecuador.
According to a report in CNN, the firefighters were alerted around 4 pm on Thursday of a mechanical failure that affected the Quito Cable Car. The Quito municipality said they soon began a rescue operation on Thursday.
The rescue continued through Friday as dozens of people remained trapped for 10 hours in the cable cars.
Este final nadie se lo esperaba. Así fue la evacuación de las personas atrapadas durante varias horas en las cabinas del Teleférico de Quito. pic.twitter.com/C9LHaI6Zqw— LaHistoria (@lahistoriaec) July 7, 2023
“In total, the authorities rescued 27 people who had been suspended in the gondolas when the service was inoperative and 47 people who had been left without transportation on top of the mountain,” the statement said.
Quito Mayor Pabel Muñoz said the rescued people do not show signs of hypothermia or injuries. He also ordered a suspension of the cable cars’ operation until an investigation is done.
Atrapados sin salida. Falla eléctrica en las cabinas del Teleférico de Quito dejó a 20 personas en el aire. Luego de cinco horas, los Bomberos comenzaron a evacuar a los atrapados. El alcalde Pabel Muñoz llegó al sitio preocupado por lo que estaba pasando. pic.twitter.com/UWa4aEphnS— LaHistoria (@lahistoriaec) July 7, 2023
Videos of the rescue show emergency workers huddled in the dark, with the city mayor present on site, as rescue efforts continued through Friday.
The people who were rescued were transferred to a safe place and received medical evaluations, according to the report.
The rescue operation involved 60 emergency personnel, including paramedics and high mountain teams, according to People.
The Quito Cable Car reaches more than 3,947 meters above the sea level, making it one of the highest cable cars in South America, the official website reads.
The website further said that the ride travels more than 2,500 meters over an 18-minute journey that offers a view of the Quito cityscape and the surrounding mountains, the site states.
