Footage shows cable cars swaying from side to side as more than 200 tourists were left hanging in the air for almost an hour in sub-zero temperatures
Cable cars sway in -15C ice storm leaving tourists stranded
Tourists were trapped for nearly an hour in freezing cable cars at a ski resort.
Unlucky tourists found themselves trapped for nearly an hour in cable cars, suspended high above the snow mountains at the Taiwu Ski Resort in Chongli District, Zhangjiakou City, China. The cable cars, which randomly stopped around 2.50pm on Tuesday November 26, suffered the breakdown to a machine failure, according to staff from the Chongli District Culture and Sports Bureau.
Tourists in the cable cars expressed how they became so cold, that their bodies became numb and began to cramp up. Others shared that the chilly temperatures caused them to feel dizzy, leading them to be rushed to hospital for treatment after they were rescued. High winds and foggy air also added to the ordeal, as reported by NeedToKnow.
In a video shared online, viewers can see the cable cars suspended stationary, high above the snowy mountains. It is believed the ski-life resumed operation at around 3.35pm, after numerous attempts had been made to call customer services, and the cable car rescue number was not available due to the lines being busy.
It was only after calls had been made to the emergency services, and fire rescue arrived, that the tourists were saved. Rescuers rushed to help the trapped tourists from becoming too cold and running the risks of suffering from frostbite. Emergency services said that despite the lower temperatures, the danger levels were not too high as the tourists were dressed in ski attire and quick-drying clothes.
Following the rescue, all of the tourists were taken to a mountain restaurant to warm up, out of the cold. Each passenger’s details were recorded, and all were given a full-day snow ticket worth 600 yuan (around £65.36) as compensation.
Back in March, Stephanie Burt was travelling with her family and a friend in Italy, when they were tossed around on a ski lift and eventually thrown off due to strong gusts of wind. Caught in a video, viewers can see the moment the chairlift was tossed about mid-air, including how one part of the lift appeared to collide with the pair.
At the time, Stephanie said: “The only reason I’m alive is because I was there with Barnaby, who weighs 100kg and could hold it down. At one stage, my ski was up over my shoulder.” She added that it took around 20 minutes for help to arrive, and climb a pylon next to theirs to ‘fix a sensor’ so that the lift would begin moving again.
