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Three people were killed and nine left injured after a chairlift cable snapped over Russia‘s highest mountain.
The accident happened on September 12 on the slopes of Mount Elbrus, in the North Caucasus republic of Kabardino-Balkaria, where 37 people were riding the cableway.
Officials said suspended chairs crashed down onto rocks with people still inside. Nine people were taken to hospital with injuries, and three people died at the scene.
Following the incident, a group of 25 tourists were left stranded on the mountain without their backpacks or warm clothing which remained in the cabins.
They were forced to spend the night in cold shelters.
The chairlift, operated by the company MKD Elbrus, was the final stage of a Soviet-era line that brought tourists and climbers to a base camp area around 12,140 feet above sea level.
Russia’s Investigative Committee, which probes major crimes, opened a criminal investigation into safety violations after the deadly incident.
The CEO and head technician of MKD Elbrus were detained as part of the investigation, according to local reports. It was not immediately clear whether they faced any charges.
Three people were killed and nine left injured after a chairlift cable snapped over Russia ‘s highest mountain
The accident happened on September 12 on the slopes of Mount Elbrus, in the North Caucasus republic of Kabardino-Balkaria, where 37 people were riding the cableway
Officials said suspended chairs crashed down onto rocks with people still inside
Investigators have said maintenance work was being carried out on the line and riding it was banned at the time.
According to the republican Ministry of Emergency Situations, a message about the accident was received by emergency services at 15:30pm Moscow time.
‘The modern gondola cable car is undergoing routine maintenance from September 3 to 24 to prepare for the winter season,’ the department said in a statement.
The lift was originally built in the 1970s and is now being checked by experts.
The technical rooms at the lift stations have been sealed and the service has been suspended following the accident.
It comes after a chairlift collapsed in a Russian resort, which saw four people plunge into a lake and six others hit the ground last month.
Following the incident, a group of 25 tourists were left stranded on the mountain without their backpacks or warm clothing which remained in the cabins
The ride from hell left a dozen people injured in Nalchik, in the mountainous region of Kabardino-Balkaria in southern Russia.
Footage shows how the chairs suddenly fall, with passengers heard screaming as they fall into a wooded area.
Another video captured on CCTV shows the cable cars going down and falling into the lake below.
People are believed to have fallen from a height of up to seven feet, but there were no fatalities.
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This article was originally published by a www.dailymail.co.uk . Read the Original article here. .