Pakistan Army on Tuesday rescued two children trapped in a cable car dangling 900ft (274 metres) over a ravine in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s Battagram area.
The rescue operation was underway to rescue eight people, including seven students and one teacher who were stranded midair due to a cable malfunction on a chairlift that traverses over a river in the Allai Jhangray Pashto area.
The military and emergency services raced to save the other four children and two adults still stuck as darkness falls.
The rescue mission has been complicated due to gusty winds in the area and the fact the helicopters’ rotor blades risk further destabilising the lift.
Following the successful helicopter rescue of two children, the rescue operation has been transferred to ground-based efforts.
The helicopter rescue operation has been suspended due to adverse night and weather conditions.
A secondary dolly was being positioned on the same wire to facilitate the safe retrieval of the trapped individuals one by one.
At least two Pak Army helicopters reached the site to rescue the stranded students and teacher. Initially, they conducted a recce of the location before commencing the rescue operation.
The rescue operation is currently in progress.
The experts say that this was a highly dangerous operation as it was unbalanced, and the air pressure from the helicopter could potentially cause the lift to break.
Sources stated that an army soldier delivered water, food, and heart-regulating medicines to the people via helicopter. As per the second plan, the children will be rescued individually.
The children were using the chairlift to get to school when a cable broke at a height of around 1,200 feet (about 365 metres) midway through its journey in a remote, mountainous part of northwestern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province.
The news of the cable car breakdown was reported early in the morning when local residents reported it. Footage showed a cable car stuck in mid-air and people gathered in the area to see the cable car.
Stranded teacher’s appeal
While speaking to SAMAA TV, Gul Nawaz, the teacher who was stranded in the chairlift along with the students, made an appeal to the administration for an immediate rescue operation.
He said the condition of the children is critical, with ages ranging from 10 to 15 years, and one child has become unconscious out of fear.
Nawaz further stated that the chairlift typically carries a heavier load, and it is unusual for the lift to be occupied by only a few people.
PM directs immediate rescue operation
Caretaker PM Anwaarul Haq Kakar directed the immediate rescue of eight persons trapped in a chairlift in the Pashto area in Battagram.
In a tweet, the premier said, “The chairlift accident in Battagram, KP is really alarming. I have directed the NDMA, PDMA and district authorities to urgently ensure safe rescue and evacuation of the 8 people stuck in the chairlift.”
He also directed the authorities to conduct safety inspections of all such private chairlifts and ensure that they are safe to operate and use.
National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) has provided coordination support to the Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA) of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa to rescue eight persons including children and teacher Gul Nawaz, stuck at a height of 900 feet in a chairlift due to a breakage of its cable in Battagram.
According to a press release issued by the NDMA, Army helicopter has been dispatched for rescue operation.
Safety audit has been asked from all Provincial Disaster Management Authorities by the NDMA on tourist infrastructure in their respective areas.
A rescue operation would be carried out in a “very careful and deliberate manner” after making an aerial reconnaissance, said a statement from the government.
Moreover, an expert team from Pakistan Army’s Special Services Group (SSG) has been dispatched to evacuate stranded people.
Earlier, Syed Hammad Haider, a senior official from the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, stated that the cable car was suspended at an altitude of approximately 1,000 to 1,200 feet from the ground.
He expressed, “We have made a request to the KP government for the provision of a helicopter, as conducting relief operations without helicopter assistance is not feasible.”
Rescue 1122 teams are working to create net ropes to cover ground
Bilal Faizi, the spokesperson for 1122, told media that two ropes of the chairlift have broken, leaving the chairlift suspended at a height of 2000 feet. He also noted that 1122 has successfully conducted similar rescue operations in the past.
The primary objective is to ensure the safe evacuation of the individuals. Meanwhile, the Rescue 1122 teams are working to create a net using ropes to cover the ground area.
Abdul Aleem Khan extends prayers
Abdul Aleem Khan, the President of Istehkam-e-Pakistan (IPP), conveyed his concerns on Tuesday, expressing his heartfelt thoughts and prayers for the esteemed teachers and innocent students currently stranded in the Battagram chairlift.
He took to the microblogging website X to express his concern and praised the Pakistan Army’s efforts in the rescue mission.
Mr. Khan further voiced his optimism, expressing confidence in the Pakistan Army’s dedicated soldiers to accomplish their mission successfully.
