3RD UPDATE, 11:42 AM: Pakistan’s prime minister said today that all eight people including six children who were stranded in a cable car high above a valley there have been rescued.
“Relieved to know that Alhamdolillah all the kids have been successfully and safely rescued,” PM Anwar Kakar said in a statement posted on X/Twitter. “Great teamwork by the military, rescue departments, district administration as well as the local people.”
Details below.
2ND UPDATE, 10:45 AM: Five children have been rescued from a cable car stranded high above a ravine in Pakistan, but one child and two adults remained trapped as night fell, the Pakistani military said in a statement. Read details below of the harrowing operation that has garnered global attention.
UPDATE 8:40 AM: Footage is emerging of the remarkable rescue operation taking place in Pakistan to free eight people, including six children, who are trapped in a cable car hanging 275 meters (about 900 feet) above a ravine.
At least two children have been rescued by helicopter so far but others remain trapped. The BBC is reporting that another child was rescued by locals using a zipline. Footage below from Germany’s DW News shows the rescue of one of the children with a helicopter.
Thousands have thronged to the site of the incident, which has captured attention worldwide. However, the BBC is reporting that helicopters have had to turn in for the night due to high winds and poor visibility, leaving some passengers still stranded. The rescue operation will continue into the night using alternative methods.
EARLIER STORY 06:13AM PDT: A daring rescue mission is underway in Pakistan, where eight people are trapped in a cable car hanging 240 meters above a ravine.
Pakistan’s National Disaster Management Authority said six children and two adults were among those confined to the chairlift, which rescue teams are attempting to reach by helicopter.
The race-against-time mission has captivated millions, with news bulletins around the world leading with updates about the incident.
Video from the scene showed a member of the Pakistan army descending on a rope from a helicopter close to the cable car. The BBC is reporting that water and food were delivered to those on board.
Local media reports said the cable car wire snapped at around 7AM local time (7PM PST) in a mountain range in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s Battagram district, 125 miles north of Islamabad.
The vehicle, which appears to be listing to one side, is used by local villagers to shorten the distance to nearby schools, government offices, and businesses.
Gulfaraz, a 20-year-old passenger on the cable car, told Pakistan news channel Geo News that the vehicle was being battered by winds.
He said there was a young person on board who suffers from a heart condition and had been unconscious for two hours.
Pakistan’s Caretaker Prime Minister Anwaar-ul-Haq Kakar said the incident was “alarming”