A 61-year-old local woman died on Wednesday after a cable car cabin fell down a snowy slope at the Engelberg ski resort in central Switzerland.
The gondola, which is certified to hold up to eight people, was carrying only the woman when it detached and plunged the mountainside south of Lake Lucerne, authorities said. The accident occurred at roughly 2,000 metres elevation, making access difficult and prompting deployment of a rescue helicopter.
Police said the cause is still under investigation. Initial reports suggest the cabin came loose during strong winds, struck the ground, slid downhill and rolled several times before stopping against a bush, according to coverage by the DPA news agency.
An onlooker filmed the incident and provided the footage to the Swiss tabloid Blick, the media reported. Police confirmed the identity and age of the victim but gave few other details as inquiries continue.
Between about 100 and 200 people were on other cabins along the same cable route when the alarm was raised. Norbert Patt, CEO of Titlis Bergbahnen, the company that operates the lift, said passengers on the line had been evacuated by the afternoon.
The resort website listed closures of the affected gondola and several others, citing strong winds as the reason for the shutdown. Switzerland’s weather service, MeteoSchweiz, said Engelberg had sunny conditions with temperatures around 8 degrees Celsius at midday, but a wind warning was in force for exposed locations above 1,800 metres, with gusts up to 130 km/h.
Investigators will examine the mechanical condition of the cabin, the cable system and weather conditions at the time of the accident to determine what happened. Authorities asked anyone with additional footage or information to come forward.