One of the chairlift passengers, Gulfaraz, recounted that the initial cable broke at 7 am, followed by another cable breakage.
PESHAWAR: (UrduPoint/Pakistan Point News-August 22nd, 2023) An army helicopter was dispatched to rescue eight individuals, which included six school children, after a chairlift's cable malfunctioned in Allai Tehsil, Battagram, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa on Tuesday.
According to a statement from the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA), a chairlift became stuck at a height of approximately 900 feet due to a cable breakage in Battagram. The NDMA offered coordination support to the Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA) and subsequently, a Pakistan Army helicopter was sent for a rescue operation.
Mansehra Deputy Inspector General of Police Tahir Ayub confirmed the incident, noting that the only viable option was to rescue the stranded passengers using a helicopter.
One of the chairlift passengers, Gulfaraz, recounted that the initial cable broke at 7 am, followed by another cable breakage.
Sonia Shamrose, the district police officer, stated that concerted efforts were underway to safely extricate the trapped individuals from the chairlift.
Zafar Iqbal, a school teacher, revealed that the chairlift was a means of transportation for students commuting to school. He mentioned that in the region, around 150 children used the chairlift for their school journeys. Confirming the incident, he added that two of the cable car's wires snapped while in mid-air.
Caretaker Prime Minister Anwaarul Haq Kakar has directed the NDMA, PDMA and other authorities to take immediate action to rescue the stranded passengers.
