The accident occurred five days before the opening of the domain. The Cime Caron cable car, located in the Val Thorens area (Savoie), crashed upon arrival at the station on Tuesday, November 19, causing at least six injuries, some of them seriously, the Savoie prefecture reported. to Le Parisien, confirming information from Dauphiné Libéré.
The accident took place around 7:30 a.m., in very difficult weather conditions. The cable car, which was transporting 16 workers for a construction site in progress, hit the arrival station, located at more than 3,000 m above sea level, the Savoie prefecture detailed in a press release.
According to state services, at least six people were injured, two seriously, without life-threatening injuries, and four more lightly. The driver of the gondola escaped unhurt, according to our information.
Significant resources from the departmental fire and rescue service and the Savoie SAMU were deployed to care for the victims. The resort's rescue trackers, the CRS Alpes as well as the high mountain gendarmerie platoon (PGHM) went to the site. “All the victims and people involved are being evacuated by the Orelle-Caron gondola,” specifies the prefecture.
To coordinate emergency services, a crisis unit and a numerous victims plan (NOVI) were launched by the Savoie prefecture, in conjunction with the mayors.
An accident which occurs a few days before the pre-opening of Val Thorens, which must welcome its first tourists, the next two weekends – November 23 and 24 and November 30 and December 1 -, before a definitive opening on the 7 December. The legendary Cime Caron cable car allows skiers and hikers to reach the summit of the same name, located at an altitude of 3,195 m, and to reach the Orelle area. It can accommodate up to 150 people.
