A cable car carrying tourists south of Naples crashed to the ground on Thursday after a cable snapped, killing at least four people and critically injuring one, officials said.
The snapped cable brought both the upward and downward-going cable cars to a halt as they traversed Monte Faito in the town of Castellammare di Stabia.
The upward cable car eventually crashed, causing the fatalities and injury, while eight tourists and an operator were evacuated from the downward cable car, Naples Prefect Michele de Bari said.
"The traction cable broke. The emergency brake downstream worked, but evidently not the one on the cabin that was entering the station,'' said Castellammare Mayor Luigi Vicinanza.
Italy’s alpine rescue, along with firefighters, police and civil protection services responded to the accident.
The accident occurred just a week after the cable car, popular for its views of Mount Vesuvius and the Bay of Naples, reopened for the season.
Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni expressed her condolences for the victims and their families and said she was in touch with rescuers.
