Grief and shock as British couple perish in Mount Faito cable car plunge

A cable car accident near Naples has claimed the lives of four people, including two British nationals, after a cable snapped on the Monte Faito route, Italian authorities confirmed. The incident occurred on Thursday in the town of Castellammare di Stabia, a popular tourist area located between Pompeii and Sorrento, where the cable car had just reopened for the season a week earlier.
The cable car, known for offering spectacular views of Mount Vesuvius and the Bay of Naples, was ascending Monte Faito, a mountain standing approximately 1,100 meters high. Reports indicate that the traction cable broke while the cable car was on a steep incline, causing the upward-bound cabin to plummet to the ground. This tragic crash resulted in the deaths of three passengers and the cable car operator, while a fifth person was critically injured and airlifted to hospital. Meanwhile, a separate downward-bound cable car carrying 16 passengers was halted mid-air but all aboard were safely evacuated using harnesses in a challenging rescue operation hampered by fog and strong winds.
Italian police confirmed the involvement of two British tourists among the deceased, alongside an Israeli woman, while another Israeli tourist remains in critical condition. The UK Foreign Office stated it is in contact with local authorities but has not released the victims’ identities. Castellammare di Stabia’s mayor, Luigi Vicinanza, explained that although the emergency brake downstream functioned, the brake on the cabin entering the station did not engage, contributing to the crash. He also emphasized that the cable car line, which spans about three kilometers from the town to the mountaintop, had undergone regular safety inspections.
The cable car system, operated by the public transport company EAV, has been in service since 1952. This is not the first fatal accident on this line; a similar tragedy in 1960 also resulted in four deaths. The chairman of EAV, Umberto De Gregorio, described the event as “an unimaginable, unforeseeable tragedy,” underscoring the shock felt by the community and operators. Italy’s alpine rescue teams, firefighters, police, and civil protection services responded swiftly to the accident.
The tragedy has drawn national attention, with Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, who was visiting Washington, expressing her “sincere condolences” to the victims’ families and confirming ongoing communication with rescue teams. The incident echoes other recent cable car disasters in Italy, including a 2021 crash near Lake Maggiore that killed 14 people. Such accidents have raised ongoing concerns about cable car safety standards in the country, despite routine maintenance and inspections.
This accident underscores the risks inherent in mountain tourism infrastructure and the critical importance of rigorous safety protocols, especially as cable cars serve as vital links for tourists seeking to experience Italy’s scenic landscapes. Investigations by local prosecutors are underway to determine the exact cause of the cable failure and to assess whether any lapses in safety contributed to the fatal crash.