Twenty-one people spent New Year’s Eve suspended in a cable car cabin on the Sandia Peak Tramway in Albuquerque, New Mexico (United States), various American media reported, relayed by HuffPost. The cabin was stopped around 10 p.m. due to heavy frost due to humidity and freezing cold, according to the statements of the manager of this cable car which allows to reach the Sandia mountains from the north of the city.
This is how 21 Sandia Peak employees spent their New Year’s Eve and most of New Year’s Day, trapped inside a Tram cabin. pic.twitter.com/me2iAD96uG
– KOAT.com (@ koat7news) January 2, 2022
The victims of this incident are employees of the cable car and the mountain restaurant who went back down to the valley, no doubt to enjoy their New Year’s Eve. Two cabins were affected by the incident. In one were 20 people, and in the other, just one person.
#BREAKING: We’re getting word a tram car with 20 people inside at Sandia Peak Tramway is stuck due to icy conditions. According to the GM, it became stuck last night. All are okay with water and blankets. Our team is heading that way. @ koat7news
Photo courtesy of Collin Deker. pic.twitter.com/I1vkaV3qKU
— Kalyn Norwood (@KalynNorwood) January 1, 2022
A late intervention
The emergency services were not alerted until around 3 a.m. It took rescuers several hours to get to the site. They had to wait until the weather conditions improved to evacuate the unfortunate people safely. They were initially able to provide them with food, water and blankets.
To carry out their rescue operation, which took place in the afternoon, rescuers were forced to climb a pylon that led them to the cabins. Then they were able to bring the people down one by one. Once on the slope, they were then able to return to the valley by means of a helicopter.
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