Police have confirmed that the individual killed in a gondola crash at Engelberg ski resort in Switzerland was a 61-year-old woman from the region.
According to the BBC, police from the Swiss canton of Nidwalden say that the gondola came off the cable “for reasons that are still unclear” on Wednesday. The woman was alone in the Titlis Xpress gondola when the crash occurred, with the cabin just leaving the Trübsee station heading up the middle section of the mountain when the accident occurred.
Air rescue service, ambulances, and police officers responded for the rescue operation. Wind gusts of more than 50mph were slamming the mountain side at the time of the accident. The gondola service is typically suspended when gusts reach above around 38mph.
The cable car service was stopped following the crash and, according to public broadcaster SRF, between 100 and 200 passengers were safely evacuated from around 20 gondola cabins. The cause of the crash is currently under investigation.
Our thoughts and condolences are with the friends and family of the deceased at this time.
