35 people evacuated from Elbrus after cable car accident

Rescuers in Kabardino-Balkaria evacuated 35 people from Mount Elbrus after an accident on a single-seat cable car. Seven people were handed over to doctors, one of them was hospitalized for examination.

As "Kavkazsky Uzel" reported, two people died this afternoon due to a cable car break on Mount Elbrus. Rescuers had to evacuate other people at the scene in difficult weather conditions.

Rescue operations on the emergency cable car on Elbrus have been completed, 35 people who were on it have been evacuated, the Kabardino-Balkaria Emergency Situations Ministry reported. 29 rescuers with nine pieces of equipment were working at the scene.

According to the department, there were 37 people on the cable car at the time of the incident, two of whom died. Seven of the survivors and evacuees were handed over to the ambulance team for examination. The Kabardino-Balkarian Ministry of Health, in turn, reported that one of the evacuees was sent for examination and diagnosis to the Republican Clinical Hospital in Nalchik.

According to the Ministry of Health, "there are no casualties among the evacuees," however, the Investigative Committee Directorate for Kabardino-Balkaria stated that several people "received injuries of varying severity." According to the investigation, the suspended chairs with people on them fell onto the rocks as a result of the accident.

A criminal case has been opened, the incident is being investigated under the article on the provision of services that do not meet safety requirements (part 3 of article 238 of the Criminal Code of Russia). This article provides for up to ten years of imprisonment for those found guilty in the event of the death of two or more people.

The head of Kabardino-Balkaria, Kazbek Kokov, previously reported that the emergency cable car was operated by the private company OOO MKD Elbrus. The Ministry of Emergency Situations reported that the road "is undergoing routine maintenance from September 3 to 24 in preparation for the winter season."

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