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Ski lift collapse in Spain injures at least 30 people Ski lift collapse in Spain injures at least 30 people
(about 1 hour later)
File photo of the Astún ski resort in the Spanish Pyrenees Watch: Emergency workers arrive at accident site by helicopter
At least 30 people are reported to have been injured, 17 of whom seriously, after a ski lift collapsed in northern Spain. At least 30 people are reported to have been injured, 17 of whom needed medical attention, after a ski lift collapsed in northern Spain.
The Astún resort in the Spanish Pyrenees, where the incident happened, has been closed and rescue services are at the scene. The Astún resort in the Spanish Pyrenees, where the incident happened, was closed as rescue services attended the scene.
Images and video circulating on social media appear to show a number of people lying on the snow beneath the ski lift. Images and video circulating on social media showed a number of people lying on the snow beneath the ski lift.
Spain's Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez said he was "shocked" by the news of the incident.Spain's Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez said he was "shocked" by the news of the incident.
Ambulances and helicopters have been ferrying the injured to nearby hospitals. Ambulances and helicopters took the injured to nearby hospitals.
One of Spain's public broadcasters reports that dozens of people remain hanging from the 15-metre-high chairlift awaiting rescue. Dozens of people left hanging on the 15-metre-high chairlift have since been rescued, according to a regional official cited in local media, external.
A witness told local media that it looked like a cable had come off, the chairs had bounced and people were thrown from the lift. A witness told the state broadcaster TVE that it looked like a cable had come off, the chairs had bounced and people were thrown from the lift.
Several helicopters are working in the area to rescue the skiers An eyewitness who was on the lift told the BBC he saw a cable "lose tension" before the chairs on his side of the structure fell.
"We are talking about around 30 to 35 people injured, including serious, very serious and less serious injuries," Miguel Ángel Clavero, the director of emergencies for the Aragon region, where the incident occurred, told public television TVE, according to AFP. "It was very scary, but very fast," Jamie Pelegri said - adding that ambulances and helicopters arrived at the scene within about 15 minutes.
Previously in a post on social media he had said it was the resort's Canal Roya chairlift that had collapsed.
"Luckily we are fine but there are injured people, we have seen several stretchers coming down," the Spotify commercial director said on X.
"We are talking about around 30 to 35 people injured, including serious, very serious and less serious injuries," Miguel Ángel Clavero, the director of emergencies for the Aragon region, where the incident occurred, told TVE, according to AFP.
"Apparently, there was a failure in the return pulley of one of the chairlifts and this caused the cable to lose tension, causing some chairs to fall and others to remain hanging," he said."Apparently, there was a failure in the return pulley of one of the chairlifts and this caused the cable to lose tension, causing some chairs to fall and others to remain hanging," he said.
Images on social media purport to show one of the chairlift's flywheels off its spoke. Images on social media purport to show one of the chairlift's flywheels off its upright.
The cause of the cable failure is currently unknown. The cause of the incident is not yet known.
An eyewitness, Jamie Pelegri, said on social media that it was the Canal Roya chairlift was the one that had collapsed. Regional president Jorge Azcón and Spain's Minister of the Interior Roberto Bermúdez de Castro went to the ski resort to understand the extent of the accident.
"Luckily we are fine but there are injured people, we have seen several stretchers coming down," the Spotify commercial director said. Azcón wrote on X, external: "All the necessary services of the [government] are working to assist the affected and injured people."
Video posted by Spain's Guardia Civil shows a helicopter flying past the scene before landing to allow emergency workers to disembark.
Regional president Jorge Azcón and Spain's Minister of the Interior Roberto Bermúdez de Castro are on their way to the ski resort to understand the extent of the accident.
Azcón wrote on X: "All the necessary services of the [government] are working to assist the affected and injured people."
The Spanish prime minister, Pedro Sánchez, said he had spoken with Azcón "to offer him the "full support" of the government.The Spanish prime minister, Pedro Sánchez, said he had spoken with Azcón "to offer him the "full support" of the government.
A telephone line has been set up for the families of those affected.
The Astún resort, which is popular with Spanish skiers, is located in the Aragon region of the Pyrenees mountains, near the border with France.