TWO British tourists are reportedly among four people who have died in a horror cable car accident in Italy.
Emergency officials indicate that a wire broke, causing individuals inside to fall to the ground, resulting in one person being airlifted to the hospital with severe injuries.
Umberto De Gregorio, chairman of the EAV public transport company which runs the cable car service, described the incident as “a tragedy”.
He confirmed the cabin suddenly crashed in the Monte Faito mountain range in Naples.
Firefighters and mountain rescue teams rushed to the town of Castellammare di Stabia after the accident.
Images show the remains of the smashed up car after the deadly plunge.
It was seen buried beneath trees with the door snapped off.
Vincenzo De Luca, president of the Campania region, confirmed the victims were three tourists and one driver of the cable car.
Two victims were British with one Israeli also dying, according to local media.
The sole survivor is an Israeli men middle-aged male who was quickly airlifted to hospital in a critical condition.
De Luca added that rescue operations have been severely hampered by fog and high winds despite over 50 people helping out.
Sixteen other passengers were able to escape from a separate cabin which was forced to stop in mid-air near to the foot of the mountain.
Footage shows how each person had to be evacuated one-by-one via harnesses.
The mayor of Castellammare di Stabia said initial investigations suggest a traction cable snapped on the cable line.
He told Italian media: “The emergency brake downstream worked but clearly not the one on the cabin that was about to reach the the top of the hill.”
Local media first reported that a cable car had broken down and left two cabins suspended in the air at around 4:30pm.
Rescue operations were launched with people from these cars safely freed.
But just 90 minutes later, a cabin at the top of the mountain is said to have fallen, according to EAV president De Gregorio.
The popular destination for sightseers has only been open for one week after re-welcoming guests after the off season.
The mayor said the line where the accident occurred is regularly checked for any faults.
The Torre Annunziata public prosecutor’s office has opened up an investigation into the disaster.
Last year, another cable car tragedy saw one person die after a mid air collision in Turkey.
Upon one of the cars colliding with a pole, hundreds of emergency teams rushed to the popular resort to assist frightened vacationers who were left suspended in the air.
Ten others were also injured – including two children.
