There was an accident at the Macugnaga cable car, in Verbano-Cusio-Ossola, in Piedmont, with 4 people slightly injured and around 100 skiers stuck upstream: according to initial reconstructions, the accident should be attributed to a maneuvering error, with the north cabin arriving at the arrival station at a speed that was too high to slow down sufficiently.
The episode occurred around 11.30am today, December 30, in the second section of the plant, which connects the Alpe Bill station to that of Monte Moroat approximately 2,800 meters above sea level: the ski slopes were immediately closed and the ski lift stopped.
Interviewed by Corriere della Serathe plant’s managing director Filippo Besozzi, confirmed that it was an «inconvenient technical”, with the cabin not being slowed down sufficiently when it entered the station, ending up hitting the protective barriers. Around 15 people were traveling in the affected cabin: 3 of them were slightly injured and were immediately transported to the hospital by medical helicopter.
Since it was a to and fro cable car, the impact of the first cabin would have caused a backlash for the southern cabin, on which only the slightly injured driver was travelling. In the meantime, around 100 people who were already in the area – and therefore not directly involved in the accident – remained stranded upstream, given that the cable car was closed: the Fire Brigade is working in these hours to evacuate everyone via two helicopters, the Drago 166 and the Drago 61.
Just two years ago, the ski lift had undergone a complete overhaul with the replacement of engines and cabins themselves.
The news of the accident brought back memories of the Monte Faito cable car disaster, which occurred on 17 April 2025, during which the lift’s haul cable broke, causing the fall of one of the cabins in service and the death of 4 people, as well as the Mottarone tragedy – also in Piedmont – which caused 14 victims due to the breakage of a haul rope.
