Italian cable car plunges to the ground, killing at least 14

[LennG]

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/world/italian-cable-car-plunges-to-the-ground-killing-at-least-14/ar-AAKii7c?ocid=msedgnt

Just a horrible accident. The only survivor was a little child who did sustain multiple injuries.

[MightyGiants]

I mentioned in another thread that often these sort of fatal accidents are the result of multiple breakdowns/failures

In this case, there was a bt of a twist.   The cable car had two cables.  One fixed cable carried the weight of the car and another that pulled the car of the hill.   The cable that snapped was the one pulling the car up the hill.  That shouldn't have been a problem as there is an emergency brake that should have prevented the car from sliding back downhill (and ultimately snapping from the system).    Turns out the second part of the failure wasn't really "accidental"

Investigators say the emergency brakes had been disabled and the three members of the operating company were aware.

According to a local transport official, the brake failure meant the car was travelling at over 100km/h (62 mph) when the cable broke.

The car plunged 20m (65ft) into the side of the Mottarone mountain near Lake Maggiore in northern Italy.

Prosecutors are carrying out an investigation into suspected involuntary homicide and negligence.

Was the brake tampered with?
The three suspects have been identified as the owner, director and chief of operations of the company that managed the cable car.

AFP reports that local prosecutor Olimpia Bossi told a press conference that the brake had been tampered with in a "conscious act" and suggested the car was unsafe before Sunday's accident.

Italy probes cause of fatal cable car accident
The prosecutor alleged a fork-like clamp had been placed over the emergency brake, which had been malfunctioning, after repair work on the car was unsuccessful, according to Italian newspaper Corriere della Sera.

MORE


https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-57252289

[bldevil]

Jeez, I've been on a cable car in northern Italy.  You always assume the engineering and maintenance would be top-notch.

[MightyGiants]

Jeez, I've been on a cable car in northern Italy.  You always assume the engineering and maintenance would be top-notch.

I suspect these sort of dangerous work arounds (that prevent the loss of income) are more common than we believe or wish

[bldevil]

I suspect these sort of dangerous work arounds (that prevent the loss of income) are more common than we believe or wish

Looks like you called that one:
"
The cable car at Stresa had been reopened in 2016 after renovation. But managers told the Carabinieri that the emergency brake on one of the cabins had been malfunctioning recently, braking the cabin repeatedly when it shouldn

[LennG]

Looks like you called that one:
"
The cable car at Stresa had been reopened in 2016 after renovation. But managers told the Carabinieri that the emergency brake on one of the cabins had been malfunctioning recently, braking the cabin repeatedly when it shouldn