(Cnn in Spanish) — Rescuers work to free dozens of people trapped in the gondolas of Quito’s cable car, one of the tallest in the world, after a system failure. reported this Friday the municipality of the capital of Ecuador.
The municipality said there were 70 people trapped in the cable car gondolas and that they had already rescued 11 of them.
Authorities said firefighters were alerted at around 4:00 p.m. local time of a malfunction affecting the gondola system of Quito’s cable car and rushed to the scene to begin rescue work for those trapped in the gondolas. in the upper parts.
The statement adds that there are rescue units and ambulances, as well as a contingent of 40 people participating in the emergency including paramedics, high mountain teams, aerial monitoring with the drone unit and support personnel who apply an emergency plan and of emergency.
The Quito municipality added that rescued people are being transferred to a safe place to receive a medical evaluation.
So far, the authorities have not communicated what was the cause of the technical failure of the cable car.
Quito cable car
The Quito cable car reaches more than 3,947 meters above sea level, making it one of the highest cable cars in South America, according to its official website.
The cable car covers more than 2,500 meters in an 18-minute journey that offers views of Quito’s cityscape and surrounding mountains.
