Helicopters stood down in rescue of children from Pakistan cable car as darkness falls

22 August 2023, 17:50

Helicopters sent to rescue children from a cable car stuck over a ravine in Pakistan have been stood down, after darkness fell.

Six people - four children and two adults - remain stuck in the cable car, which is in Battagram in northern Pakistan.

Eight people, including six children, were in the chairlift on the way to school when one of the cables snapped at around 7am local time (11am UK time).

At least two of the children had been rescued and were being checked over by medical workers.

Although the helicopters returned to base after darkness fell, rescue efforts are continuing on the ground.

The army has brought in a local company to work with zip lines to try to bring the people down.

A shocking clip of the first child being rescued shows him dangling from the helicopter as it gradually flew off to safety.

The child gripped a safety rope tightly while he appeared strapped in a harness, as he hung thousands of feet from the ground. He was later pulled inside the helicopter.

LIVE updates: Pakistan cable car rescue mission

Among the group are six school children aged between 10 and 16, Gulfaraz, a 20-year-old who is also on the chairlift, told Geo News.

He said the first wire broke at 7am while another broke down soon after.

"For God's sake help us," he said, adding: “We don't even have drinking water in the chairlift."

A 16-year-old, who suffers with a heart condition, had been unconscious for three hours, Gulfaraz said.

The rescue was made more complex by the windy weather conditions shaking the cable car.

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The Provincial Disaster Mangaement Authority (PDMA) said the chairlift incident occurred at 8:30am.

"A chairlift stuck at a height of about 900 ft midway due to breakage in one of its cable in Battagram. 8 persons including 6 children stranded," the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) said in a statement.

It added: "After coordination Pak Army helicopter has been despatched for rescue operation."

Caretaker PM Anwaar-ul-Haq Kakar said the incident was "alarming".

"The chairlift accident in Battagram, KP is really alarming," he tweeted.

"I have directed the NDMA, PDMA and district authorities to urgently ensure safe rescue and evacuation of the 8 people stuck in the chairlift.

"I have also directed the authorities to conduct safety inspections of all such private chairlifts and ensure that they are safe to operate and use."