Disturbing video shows the alarming instant a chairlift failed at a secluded Russian mountain resort, causing several individuals to fall into a deep lake, while others landed forcefully on the rocky terrain.
This severe accident resulted in eight injuries, with an additional 13 people left in precarious situations within the challenging landscape of the Kabardino-Balkaria region near Nalchik, as local sources indicate.
According to the Russian news agency TASS, emergency services stated that the preliminary cause of the mishap is thought to be years of deterioration in the cables, which had been in place since 1968.
Surveillance footage depicts passengers screaming as the chairs unexpectedly broke apart. Of the 21 people involved, some collided with trees, while a separate video showed another tourist hitting the ground.
Reports indicate four individuals fell into Lake Trek’s 22-foot-deep waters. Emergency teams later rescued those left suspended from the broken chairlifts, TASS reported.
Officials reportedly initiated a major rescue effort to transport the injured swiftly to local medical facilities.
Medical authorities confirmed a spinal cord injury in one victim, TASS stated.
A spokesperson for the regional health ministry confirmed, “One patient is currently in serious condition in an intensive care unit.”
No deaths resulted from the event.
Authorities have reportedly initiated a criminal inquiry into the incident to ascertain if any laws or regulations were breached, contributing to the mishap.
Emergency services added that “all other versions will be considered during the investigation.”