Pakistan’s Military Launches High-Stakes Rescue Operation to Save Eight People Trapped in Cable Car
PESHAWAR, Pakistan – Pakistan’s military has launched a daring rescue operation after a cable snapped, leaving a cable car with eight people stranded 900 feet in the air. The group, which includes six children, was traveling across a ravine in Battagram, in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, when the incident occurred.
Rescue teams have been faced with challenges during the operation, as one of the military helicopters sent to rescue the group destabilized the car in its attempt to get closer. However, the military rescue team is determined to save the stranded individuals and is exploring alternative options such as a sling operation or rope ladder.
A military official, speaking on the condition of anonymity due to official policy, emphasized the highly risky nature of the operation but assured that the military rescue troops are proceeding with caution.
In the meantime, a military rescuer has provided the trapped children with food, water, and emergency medicine in an effort to stabilize their condition before their rescue. A photograph shared by the Agence-France Presse news agency captured an army soldier descending from a helicopter towards the cable car.
The rescue efforts have been further complicated by gusts of wind, as the cable car hangs precariously over the ravine by a single cable after the other one snapped. Jawad Hussain, an official from the area, revealed that rescue teams are attempting to spread nets under the cable car to ensure the safety of those trapped.
The children were using the privately owned cable car, referred to as a chairlift, to commute to school since there are no proper roads or bridges available in the mountainous area, according to locals.
Pakistan’s caretaker prime minister, Anwaar-ul-Haq Kakar, expressed concern over the incident, describing it as “really alarming” on his Twitter account. He has ordered authorities to urgently ensure the safe rescue and evacuation of the individuals stranded in the chairlift. Kakar has further directed safety inspections of all chairlifts to prevent similar incidents in the future.
Since the parliament was dissolved earlier this month, Kakar has been serving as the caretaker prime minister.
A 20-year-old passenger named Gulfaraz, who is stuck on the lift, revealed that they have been stranded for over six hours, without even drinking water. He expressed concern for a 16-year-old passenger who has been unconscious due to a heart condition. Gulfaraz also mentioned that the first cable broke down after the chairlift traveled a mile, and shortly afterward, the second cable snapped.
Zafar Iqbal, a schoolteacher, disclosed that approximately 150 children in the area use the chairlift daily to travel to school.
The Pakistani military has stated that special forces are being deployed to the site to support the ongoing rescue efforts.
This situation has sparked concerns over the safety of chairlifts and the lack of proper infrastructure in remote mountainous areas. Authorities are urged to prioritize safety inspections and address the transportation challenges faced by the locals.
Bisset reported from London; Hussain from Islamabad.