Four dead and one missing as Naples cable car crashes from mountain

A cable car ferrying tourists above southern Italy’s scenic landscapes met catastrophe Thursday when its supporting cable suddenly snapped, sending the cabin plummeting near Naples and claiming at least four lives while leaving one critically injured. Rescue teams scrambled through dense fog and fierce winds to locate one missing individual as authorities confirmed the victims were visitors to the recently reopened Monte Faito summit, a 1,200-meter peak renowned for panoramic vistas of Mount Vesuvius and the Bay of Naples.
Umberto De Gregorio, chairman of the operating firm Ente Autonomo Volturno, starkly declared, “The cabin at the top has crashed, casualties are feared,” as Italian media reported a second cabin carrying 16 passengers remained safely stationary during the emergency. The tragedy struck just days after the seasonal relaunch of the popular attraction, which Lonely Planet describes as offering “sensational views” via an eight-minute ascent through beech forests to one of the Lattari mountains’ highest points.
Alpine rescue units faced relentless challenges as Campania regional president Vincenzo De Luca cited “fog, rain, and strong winds” hampering efforts at the 1,500-meter accident zone, where debris scattered across the rugged terrain. While Ansa news agency noted the driver’s disappearance, survivors from unaffected cabins were evacuated as prosecutors launched an inquiry into the infrastructure’s safety. The route, operated by EAV, had drawn visitors seeking its unique perspective of Italy’s volcanic coastline before the fatal malfunction.
Local officials emphasized the cable car’s role as both a tourist draw and vital transport link, with its abrupt closure echoing past incidents like the 2021 Stresa-Mottarone tragedy that killed 14, underscoring ongoing debates about aging lift systems nationwide. Quoting a company spokesperson, reports labeled the event a “tragedy” as forensic teams prepared to examine the severed cable mechanism amid questions about maintenance protocols at seasonal mountain transit networks.