A ski lift partially collapsed in northern Spain, injuring at least 30 people at the Astún resort in the Spanish Pyrenees. The resort was promptly closed as rescue services responded to the scene of the incident.
Incident Overview
Images and videos circulating on social media depicted several individuals lying on the snow beneath the ski lift. Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez expressed his shock upon learning of the event.
According to reports from state broadcaster TVE, a pulley at one end of the chairlift became loose, leading to the collapse of part of the supporting structure. This failure caused the cable to lose tension, resulting in several seats falling from the lift. Local media indicated that 17 individuals required medical attention, and ambulances, along with helicopters, were deployed to transport the injured to hospitals.
Eyewitness Accounts
Dozens of individuals were left hanging on the 15-meter (50-foot) high chairlift but were subsequently rescued. Jaime Pelegri, an eyewitness who was on the lift, recounted the frightening experience, stating that a cable lost tension just before the chairs on his side fell. “It was very scary, but very fast,” he remarked, noting that emergency responders arrived within 15 minutes.
In a post on X, Pelegri added, “Luckily we are fine, but there are injured people; we have seen several stretchers coming down.”
Emergency Response
Miguel Ángel Clavero, the director of emergencies for the Aragon region, provided an update, saying, “We are talking about around 30 to 35 people injured, including serious, very serious, and less serious injuries.” He confirmed that the incident was caused by a failure in the return pulley of one of the chairlifts, which resulted in the cable losing tension and causing some chairs to fall while others remained suspended.
Images shared on social media showed one of the chairlift’s flywheels dislodged from its upright position, but the exact cause of the incident is still under investigation.
Government Support
Regional President Jorge Azcón and Spain’s Minister of the Interior, Roberto Bermúdez de Castro, arrived at the scene to oversee the rescue operations. Azcón posted on X, stating, “All the necessary services of the [government] are working to assist the affected and injured people.”
Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez reported that he had spoken with Azcón to extend the “full support” of the government to those affected by the incident. A dedicated telephone line has been established for the families of those impacted.
Conclusion
The Astún resort, renowned for its popularity among skiers, is located in the Aragon region of the Pyrenees mountains, near the border with France. As investigations continue, authorities are focused on ensuring the safety and well-being of all individuals involved in this unfortunate event.
