Two children were removed from the gondola by a military helicopter that had been stuck a few hundred meters above a valley and had been hanging there since Tuesday morning at 7 am local time (4 am local time). The helicopter rescue operation was halted at nightfall due to limited visibility and strong winds.
Then work continued with a small cable lift. In this way, the other six passengers, including the teacher, could also be rescued. This is what the authorities reported.
The rescue operation was difficult because the helicopter could not get too close. After all, the movements of the rotor could destabilize the remaining steel cable. One of the teenagers fell off the rope, according to the BBC.
A cable car was used to go to and from school, which is common in the mountainous region. The elevator was suspended by two cables, one of which was broken.
20-year-old Gulfaraz was called by Pakistan’s Geo News TV channel in the elevator. “It is too bad that the man has already lost consciousness,” he said. The BBC also contacted him. The teens on board are reported to be between the ages of 10 and 16. A 16-year-old boy had heart problems and was unconscious for two hours. He added that the boy took the gondola to the hospital.
Acting Pakistani Prime Minister Anwar-ul-Haq Kakar ordered authorities to conduct safety inspections at other cable lifts. On X, formerly Twitter, he thanks the military and emergency services for their “amazing teamwork.”
I am relieved to know that, thank God, all the children were successfully and safely rescued. Great team work by the military, rescue departments, district administration as well as the locals. 🇵🇰 https://t.co/2gPq2Q51Xi
– Anwar Al-Haq Kakar (@anwaar_kakar) August 22, 2023
Although it is an hours drive to the nearest larger city, about five hundred people gathered around the valley. The parents of the passengers also came to the valley.
