CapitTragedy in Italy: Cable car accident leaves four dead, including two British citizens
A cable car cabin on Monte Faito collapsed after a cable broke, killing four people. Italian authorities have identified the victims and opened an investigation to determine the cause of the incident.
A British woman identified as Margaret Elaine Winn is among the four people killed in a cable car accident that occurred Thursday in the Naples region of Italy. Another British citizen also died in the incident, although his identity has not yet been released by authorities. The cabin fell to the ground after one of the cables supporting it broke, local officials reported.
In addition to the British victims, the death of the cable car driver, Carmine Parlato, 59, and an Israeli woman, Janan Suliman, were confirmed. Suliman's brother, who was also a passenger in the cabin, was seriously injured and was airlifted to a hospital, where he remains in critical condition. The UK Foreign Office said it is in contact with Italian authorities.
Ongoing Investigation and System Background
The Torre Annunziata authorities have opened an investigation to clarify the causes of the accident. The cable car operator reported that the line had passed a safety inspection two weeks before the incident. The accident is presumed to have been caused by a broken traction cable. The mayor of Castellammare di Stabia reported that the emergency brake on one cabin worked, but not on the one ascending.
Sixteen people who were in another cabin on the same line were rescued using a winch. This second cabin was near the valley floor at the time of the incident. Italian authorities continue to conduct technical inspections along the three kilometers the cable car runs between the town and the summit of Monte Faito.
Official Reactions and Historical Background
The UK Foreign Office expressed its support for the affected families and stated that it was coordinating with local authorities. Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, who was in Washington at the time of the incident, offered her condolences to the victims' families shortly after the accident was announced.
The Monte Faito cable car has been in operation since 1952. This is not the first serious accident on the line: in 1960, a similar incident killed four people. The current incident has revived concerns about the safety of the system and its maintenance protocols.