ISTANBUL (AP) — The last 174 people stranded in cable cars atop a mountain in southern Turkey were moved to safety on Saturday, nearly 23 hours after one of the cable cars hit a pole and exploded, killing one person and wounding seven when Fell to the ground. The rocks below.
Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya She announced the successful completion of the rescue operation on Saturday afternoon the 10th.
A total of 607 search and rescue personnel and 10 helicopters participated, including teams from the Turkish Emergency Response Agency, AFAD, coast guard, firefighting teams, and mountain rescue teams from different parts of Turkey, officials said. Helicopters equipped with night vision capabilities continued to rescue people throughout the night.
The stranded people had been stuck on the Tunctepe cable car, outside the Mediterranean city of Antalya, since 5:30pm on Friday, when the accident occurred.
Istanbul resident Hatice Polat and her family were rescued after a seven-hour ordeal. She said in an interview with Anadolu Agency that the power went out and the capsule flipped four or five times.
“The night was terrible, we were very afraid. There were children with us, they lost consciousness,” she said. “It was torture staying there for seven hours. It sways every second, you are in constant fear. …It was very painful, and I don't know how we will overcome this shock.
The state-run Anadolu Agency identified the deceased as a 54-year-old Turkish man. Among the injured were two children, six Turkish citizens, and a Kyrgyz citizen. They were all rescued by Coast Guard helicopters shortly after the accident and sent for treatment. Pictures published by Turkish media showed the wrecked car swaying due to dislodged wires on the side of the rocky mountain while paramedics treated the wounded.
Yerlikaya also announced that 13 people rescued from other cars were also taken to hospitals for tests.
Friday was the last day of a three-day public holiday in Turkey marking the end of the holy month of Ramadan, which sees families flock to seaside resorts.
A cable car takes tourists from Konyaaltı Beach to a restaurant and viewing platform atop the 618-meter (2,010 ft) Tunktepe Peak. It is operated by Antalya Metropolitan Municipality. The cable car line was completed in 2017 and undergoes a major inspection around the beginning of the year, in addition to routine inspections throughout the year.
The Antalya Prosecutor's Office launched an investigation. An expert committee was formed, including mechanical and electrical engineers and health and safety experts, to determine the cause of the accident.