Importance Score: 75 / 100 🔴
Fatal Cable Car Plunge on Monte Faito: British Couple Among Victims in Italy Tragedy
Details are emerging about the devastating final moments of a British couple who perished alongside two others when the cable car they occupied plummeted 100 feet down an Italian mountainside. The tragic incident on
Incident Overview
The group, including the British vacationers and two Israeli tourists, along with the driver, identified in Italian media as 59-year-old Carmine Parlato, were ascending Monte Faito. They departed from the station in
Sequence of Events Leading to the Tragedy
According to initial reports from officials, the emergency braking mechanism, designed to secure the cabin’s position, apparently malfunctioned. This failure purportedly initiated the cabin’s backward slide down the cable. Subsequently, the traction cable fractured, causing the carriage to swing violently into a nearby pylon at ‘full velocity,’ as stated by the head of the cable car operating company.
The impact resulted in the cabin’s catastrophic fall into the wooded ravine below. The metal structure was crushed by the dense tree branches, breaking apart upon impact. Debris scattered across the slope, and tragically, passengers were ejected hundreds of meters into the surrounding forest, according to Italian news outlets.
Rescue and Aftermath
Rescuers discovered all but one passenger had died. In a remarkable turn, an Israeli man was found alive amongst the mangled wreckage with serious injuries, alongside the remains of his partner and the other victims, approximately two hours after the initial alarm.
vCard.red is a free platform for creating a mobile-friendly digital business cards. You can easily create a vCard and generate a QR code for it, allowing others to scan and save your contact details instantly.
The platform allows you to display contact information, social media links, services, and products all in one shareable link. Optional features include appointment scheduling, WhatsApp-based storefronts, media galleries, and custom design options.
Eyewitness Accounts and Immediate Response
Luigi Vicinanza, the mayor of Castellammare di Stabia, indicated that the cable car was mere seconds away from completing its journey when the disaster unfolded. Simultaneously, the descending cable car, nearing the lower station, also came to an unexpected stop.
The downhill cabin carried sixteen individuals – a German family of five, additional tourists, and exchange students. All passengers from this cabin were safely evacuated using harnesses by rescue personnel. However, communication with the uphill cabin was lost. Dense fog and dark clouds hampered visibility, and repeated radio calls to the driver went unanswered.
‘We cannot see them. And we cannot even contact Parlato via radio. He is not responding,’ a cable car station worker reportedly communicated over walkie-talkie.
Helicopters were deployed to survey the area. Aerial reconnaissance quickly confirmed the cabin had detached from the cable and crashed into the woodland.
Challenging Rescue Operation
Difficult terrain and adverse weather, including strong winds and reduced visibility due to fog, significantly delayed emergency services’ access to the crash site. It took approximately two hours for rescue teams to reach the wreckage and assess the situation.
Survivor’s Condition
‘Someone is breathing,’ a rescuer exclaimed upon locating the sole survivor amidst the debris. The injured man, suffering from multiple fractures, was airlifted to a Naples hospital. As of Friday morning, his condition was described as ‘critical but stable’.
Medical professionals stated the patient is intubated for airway protection and is receiving mechanical ventilation under heavy sedation. Doctors have characterized his prognosis as guarded.
Investigation into the Cable Car Disaster
Prosecutors have initiated a manslaughter investigation into the incident. The cause for both cable cars halting remains under scrutiny. Authorities are focusing on why the traction cable failed and are examining the emergency brake system’s functionality.
Carmine Parlato: Victim Identified
One of the deceased has been identified as Carmine Parlato, 59, the cable car driver, a married father from the Naples region.
History of the Monte Faito Cable Car
The scenic cable car to Monte Faito’s summit has been a popular attraction for tourists and residents since its inauguration in 1952. The mountain offers panoramic views of the Bay of Naples and Mount Vesuvius.
Past Incidents on the Cableway
This recent tragedy is not the first on the historic cableway. In a previous accident on August 15, 1960, a cable car cabin reached the lower station without stopping, derailing onto the Circumvesuviana railway tracks, resulting in four fatalities and 31 injuries.
Significant maintenance and cabin replacements followed that earlier incident.
Company’s Statement on Safety and Maintenance
Umberto de Gregorio, the director of the company operating the cable car, asserted that operations had resumed the previous week ‘with all necessary safety protocols’ after a three-month maintenance period.
‘What transpired today is an unthinkable, unpredictable tragedy,’ he expressed. ‘We are devastated; the cable car is a prized asset.’ He added, ‘Extensive testing was conducted over three months. The company adhered to all safety requirements, making the cause of this incident inexplicable at this time. A thorough investigation is underway, but it will require time.’
Account of the Cable Break
Describing the sequence of events, Mr. de Gregorio explained, ‘The hauling cable of the ascending cabin snapped. The descending cabin was unaffected, merely halting operations, and all occupants were safely rescued. However, the ascending cabin, we believe, impacted a pylon at high speed before falling.’
Weather Conditions Ruled Out as Cause
Initial speculation suggested strong winds might have contributed to the accident. However, Mr. de Gregorio dismissed this, stating, ‘A sophisticated system prevents cable car operation when wind speeds exceed safety limits, thus wind was not a factor.’
Condolences from Officials
Naples Mayor Gaetano Manfredi conveyed deep sympathy, stating, ‘I express profound condolences, representing the Metropolitan City of Naples and personally, for the victims of this afternoon’s tragic Faito cable car collapse.’
Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, currently in Washington, D.C., for discussions with US President Donald Trump, also extended her condolences.
Government Response
The Italian government issued a statement: ‘Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, informed of the tragic Monte Faito cable car accident while meeting with US President Donald Trump, expresses the Italian Government’s and her personal deepest sympathy and condolences to the bereaved families and those injured.’
Prime Minister Meloni is maintaining contact with Civil Protection Minister Nello Musumeci and Department Head Fabio Ciciliano.
UK Government Monitoring Situation
The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) issued a statement: ‘We are closely monitoring the situation following an incident in Italy and are in communication with local authorities.’
Past Cable Car Tragedies in Italy
Italy has unfortunately witnessed previous fatal cable car incidents. In 2021, 14 individuals died when a cable fractured, causing a carriage to plummet 65 feet near Lake Maggiore in the western Alps.
Disturbing video footage from that disaster depicted the carriage moments from safety before it rapidly descended the mountain. It showed a cable breaking, causing violent oscillations and passenger ejection inside the cabin.
Separate video evidence revealed the carriage detaching and falling out of sight, crashing and killing 14 out of 15 occupants.
1998 Dolomites Disaster
Another gondola tragedy in 1998 in Cavalese, Dolomites, resulted in 20 deaths when a US Air Force pilot’s aircraft severed cables supporting a passenger-filled cabin.
1976 Cavalese Accident
The 1998 Cavalese incident occurred 22 years after a similar tragedy in the same town in 1976, which claimed 43 lives when a cabin skidded 300 feet before being crushed.