As the day turned into night in the beautiful Turkish resort town of Antalya, a terrible accident happened: support for cable cars broke, causing one person to die and injuring seven others.
Unfortunately, 1 citizen died, and 7 citizens were injured in the accident that occurred on the Sarısu cable car line in Antalya Konyaaltı last evening. (Photo : Ali Yerlikaya/ X)
Cable Car Tragedy in Turkey
An incident unfolded near a Turkish resort when a cable car pylon collapsed, resulting in one fatality and leaving nearly 200 individuals stranded midair. The deceased of a 54-year-old Turkish man was identified. Following the collapse, seven others sustained injuries.
The accident occurred on Friday afternoon as a cabin from the Antalya Cable Car, also known as the Tunektepe Teleferik, collided with a damaged pole outside Antalya. Turkey's Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya reported that the cabin plummeted down the mountainside into a rocky area after the pylon collapsed.
Interesting Engineering reported that the deceased, identified as a 54-year-old Turkish man, was confirmed, while reports indicate that among the injured were six Turkish citizens and one Kyrgyz national, including two children, all rescued by helicopters operated by the Coast Guard.
Minister Yerlikaya mentioned in an X post that ten helicopters and over 600 search-and-rescue personnel were deployed to the scene. The entire cable car system stopped as emergency workers worked tirelessly to evacuate stranded passengers.
The rescue operation saw collaboration from various organizations across Turkey, including the search and rescue agency AFAD, the Coast Guard, and the fire brigade. Mountaineering teams from different regions of the country also played a crucial role in the operation.
Despite the challenging circumstances, the swift response from emergency teams was instrumental in ensuring the safety of those stranded. The coordinated efforts of search-and-rescue personnel, including the Coast Guard and mountaineering teams from various regions, underscored the commitment to effectively managing the crisis.
Emotions ran high as families anxiously awaited news of their loved ones. Hatice Polat's account of the ordeal sheds light on the intense fear and uncertainty experienced by those trapped in the cable car for several hours. Such firsthand testimonies serve as reminders of the human toll of such accidents.
Calling for Investigation
In the aftermath of the incident, attention turned to accountability and preventive measures. The Turkish justice ministry's initiation of an investigation reflects the imperative to identify the root causes of the accident and take necessary actions to prevent similar occurrences in the future.
As the nation mourns the loss of life and supports those affected by the tragedy, there is a collective call for transparency, accountability, and enhanced safety measures to ensure the well-being of all individuals using cable car systems and other forms of transportation.
Among the suspects were employees of both the cable car operating companies and the company tasked with maintaining and servicing the line. The cable car line, inaugurated in 2017, is subject to rigorous annual inspections and regular maintenance checks.
Managed by the Antalya Metropolitan Municipality, the cable car facilitates tourist transportation from Konyaalti Beach to a restaurant and picturesque observation point situated atop the 618-meter-high Tunektepe peak.
