NAPLES, ITALY – A devastating accident on the Monte Faito cableway near Naples has resulted in the deaths of four people and left one individual seriously injured after a cable car plummeted into a ravine on Thursday afternoon. The tragedy has sent shockwaves through the region, a popular tourist destination known for its scenic views of Mount Vesuvius and the Bay of Naples.
The incident occurred as the cable car, carrying tourists from the coastal town of Castellammare di Stabia up the steep slopes of Monte Faito, suffered a catastrophic failure. Initial reports indicate that a supporting cable snapped, sending the ascending cabin plummeting several hundred meters.
Emergency services, including alpine rescue teams, firefighters, and police, rushed to the scene, navigating difficult terrain and adverse weather conditions, including thick fog and strong winds, to reach the wreckage. The recovery efforts continued late into the night.
Victims Identified as Tourists and Operator
While formal identification is ongoing, local authorities have confirmed that the deceased include three tourists – two British nationals and one Israeli woman – as well as the Italian cable car operator. A second Israeli tourist was pulled alive from the wreckage but remains in critical condition at a Naples hospital.
The British victims have been identified in UK media reports, while the Israeli woman has been named as Janan Suliman, 25, from northern Israel. The Italian operator has been named as Carmine Parlato, 59.
Separate Rescue Operation for Stranded Passengers
Adding to the complexity of the emergency response, a separate cable car traveling downhill on the same line became stranded mid-air following the cable failure. Sixteen passengers, including a German family and university students, were trapped for several hours before being successfully rescued, one by one, using harnesses in a delicate and challenging operation.
Investigation Launched into Cause of Disaster
Italian prosecutors have launched a full-scale investigation into the cause of the tragedy, focusing on potential charges of multiple manslaughter and culpable disaster. The cable car line, which had recently reopened for the summer season after undergoing routine safety checks, is now sealed off as investigators work to determine the exact sequence of events leading to the cable’s snapping.
Umberto de Gregorio, the head of the cable car company, EAV, expressed his shock and disbelief, stating that the reopening had occurred with “all the required safety conditions” in place. He described the incident as an “unimaginable, unforeseeable tragedy.”
Condolences and National Grief
Italian Premier Giorgia Meloni, who was in Washington D.C. meeting with U.S. President Donald Trump as the news broke, expressed her deepest condolences to the victims and their families, stating she was in close contact with rescue efforts. The tragedy has cast a pall over the Campania region, with local officials expressing their profound sadness and solidarity with those affected.
This is not the first fatal incident involving cable cars in Italy. In 1960, a similar accident on the Monte Faito line resulted in four deaths. More recently, a cable car crash in the Italian Alps in 2021 killed 14 people. These past tragedies will undoubtedly add weight to the calls for a thorough and transparent investigation to prevent future loss of life.
As the community grapples with this latest disaster, the focus remains on supporting the victims’ families and uncovering the precise circumstances that led to this heartbreaking event on the slopes of Monte Faito.