One Person Dead in Cable Car Accident in Antalya

One person has died, and several others were injured in a cable car accident in the southern Turkish tourist hotspot of Antalya. The cable car was reportedly particularly crowded due to the Sugar Feast celebration.

In the southern Turkish tourist city of Antalya, one person has died, and several others were injured in a cable car accident. Turkish Health Minister Fahrettin Koca wrote on the X platform (formerly Twitter) that a cabin of the Tünektepe cable car had plummeted. Turkish media outlets reported that 184 people were trapped, with approximately 100 of them already rescued. The condition of the injured is stable, and they are receiving treatment at a hospital. Rescue operations are ongoing.

The cause of the accident was not immediately disclosed. According to Anadolu, the cable car was heavily frequented due to the Sugar Feast marking the end of the fasting month of Ramadan. One of the cable car’s masts collapsed, causing a cabin to collide and plummet into rocky terrain.

Cable car in operation since 2017

Antalya Mayor Muhittin Böcek stated on X: “We are continuing to work tirelessly until all evacuations can be safely completed.” The state news agency Anadolu reported that during the rescue efforts, a basket lowered by a helicopter was used to reach the cabins for people to board.

According to the operator, the cable car has been in operation since 2017 and consists of 36 cabins. It transports guests to the summit of Tünektepe at a height of 605 meters, with the ride lasting about nine minutes. Each cabin can accommodate six people, allowing for the transportation of up to 1,200 individuals per hour.