All eight passengers trapped inside a cable car since early Tuesday morning, in Allai tehsil of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s Battagram were successfully rescued late at night following a 14-hour operation. The accomplishment of the operation was initially confirmed through a statement released by Rescue 1122 and later affirmed by the military’s media affairs division.
The incident took place in the early hours as six students and two residents were en route to school. They became trapped when two cables of the cable car broke, as Assistant Commissioner (AC) Jawad Hussain informed earlier. He added that the cable car was being operated privately by locals to facilitate transportation across rivers. He said that there were no roads or bridges in the vicinity to connect the two sides.
For hours, the cable car dangled amid a deep ravine, encircled by towering mountains and a rocky terrain, situated alongside the Jhangri river.
Initially, the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) estimated that the passengers were suspended at an altitude of 1,000 to 2,000 feet. However, after reconnaissance, the ISPR stated that they were stranded at a height of 600 feet.
Interim Prime Minister Anwaarul Haq Kakar also corroborated this development on the social media platform X.
“I’m relieved to learn that all the individuals, including the children, have been effectively and securely rescued. The collaboration between the military, rescue units, district administration, and the local populace is commendable,” he shared.
Hours-Long Rescue Operation
The operation to rescue the stranded passengers commenced in the morning, but it wasn’t until late in the evening that the first two children could be successfully rescued.
The armed forces managed to rescue them amid challenging weather conditions, employing multiple attempts shortly before sunset. This effort was executed as part of an operation that utilized four helicopters.
As darkness descended, the airborne operation was halted due to the lack of light and adverse weather conditions. Nonetheless, rescue endeavors were going on through alternative methods.
A correspondent who was present at the scene observed residents preparing to initiate a ground-based rescue endeavor. He characterized this approach as being rather precarious, involving a rescuer sliding along a rope to reach the cable car.
