Firefighters Rescue Dozens Stranded Mid-Air on One of the World’s Highest Cable Car Rides
About 78 people in Ecuador were rescued after being trapped for 10 hours
Twitter/MunicipioQuito
Emergency teams help in the rescue of 78 people trapped in a cable car in Ecuador.Emergency personnel in Ecuador spent through the early morning hours Friday rescuing dozens of people trapped for 10 hours in one of the world’s highest cable cars.
At approximately 4 p.m. local time Thursday, authorities were notified of a mechanical failure on the Quito Cable Car, trapping 78 people.
In a statement, the Quito municipality announced that all of the passengers had been accounted for and suffered no injuries.
“Rescue units and ambulances arrived at the site to apply the contingency and emergency plan. The rescued people were transferred to a safe place where they received a medical evaluation," said the municipality.
Photos shared on the municipality’s Twitter account showed rescue workers in action along with Quito’s mayor, Pabel Muñoz, present on the scene.
“The Cable Car will be closed until the investigations are finished,” per the municipality at the time.
The rescue involved 60 emergency personnel, including paramedics and high mountain teams.
"The Municipality of Quito extends its gratitude to the San Francisco de Cruz Loma community, for having organized to support the rescue efforts," according to the municipality's statement.
Twitter/MunicipioQuito
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Known as the TelefériQo, the cable car, which travels 1.55 miles in about 20 minutes, rises over 12,950 feet above sea level, making it one of the highest in South America. It offers passengers views of Quito’s mountainous landscape.
Related: 21 Rescued After Being Trapped When New Mexico Tram Cars Freeze Overnight on New Year's Day
In January 2022, 21 people were rescued from tram cars on the Sandia Peak Tramway in Albuquerque, New Mexico, after being stranded overnight, per officials.
The passengers had been trapped in the trams due to inclement weather, the Bernalillo County Sheriff's Office said, per ABC. After being stranded for hours, 20 people were rescued Saturday afternoon, the Bernalillo County Fire Department confirmed.
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