Eight injured, two of them serious. This is the human toll of the cable car accident that occurred this Tuesday, November 19, 2024, in Val Thorens (Savoie), at an altitude of 3,200 meters. The cabin, which carried 16 workers, “entered the summit station at a fairly high speed”violently hitting the latter, explained Claude Jay, the mayor of Belleville, where the station is located.
A press point was held at the Val Thorens tourist office, in the middle of the day, to discuss this rare accident. We take stock.
Two seriously injured people with no vital prognosis
An initial assessment in the morning reported six injured, two of whom were serious, before being reassessed a few hours later at eight injured, two of whom were serious, without their vital prognosis being compromised. These last two victims were able to be evacuated to hospitals in Grenoble and Chambéry.
“The seriously injured mainly suffered from trauma to the pelvis. We found that the injuries were related to shock. But we cannot say at the moment whether this shock was violent or not”confided Benjamin Blanc, director of the Belleville slopes service, in comments reported by The Dauphiné Libéré . “There was no extrication to be carried out. On the kinetics of the accident, we are not able to respond at this time. »
The pilot “very shocked, was also taken care of”added François Ravier, the prefect of Savoie.
Significant resources mobilized
A crisis management unit has been activated, as well as a departmental operational center and a numerous victims plan (Novi), for better coordination of relief efforts. Around 120 people (firefighters, CRS Alpes, PGHM, Smu and slope services), as well as two helicopters and tracked vehicles were involved in the rescue operations.
Benjamin Blanc insisted on “underline the chain of solidarity of all the mountain rescue services which were seized very quickly”. “Our operational reflexes were strategic in intervening in this accident. All services quickly understood the seriousness of the accident”added the Belleville slopes director.
A medical-psychological emergency unit has also been set up in Orelle, for uninjured people.
The investigation and accident office expected Wednesday
The workers were heading to the construction site of a panoramic restaurant at the top of Cime Caron, which was due to open within a few weeks. They used the Cime Caron cable car, the largest in Europe when it was built in 1982, and which was renovated in 2019.
According to Jérôme Grellet, general director of Setam, the company which operates the cable cars, the ski resort operated in mode ” construction site “ or « manuel »that is to say less secure than when it is open to the public and is then managed in an automated manner, reports theAFP. The Cime Caron cable car was due to enter service several weeks after the opening of the station, scheduled for this weekend. Each year, the latter is tested and subject to inspection by a delegated state body.
The cabin was driven by a pilot “extremely experienced” ; as for the weather conditions, they were “in the snow” more «normal» for the season, according to Jérôme Grellet. “What we think is that it is not a problem linked to the control or the device”added the general director of Setam, cited by The Dauphiné Libéré.
The Albertville public prosecutor's office has been contacted and a team from the investigation and accident office is expected on site this Wednesday morning “to analyze the causes of what happened”indicated François Ravier, the prefect of Savoie.
The station will “open” on Saturday
Despite the accident, “we are going to open the station on Saturday”declared to theAFP the tourist office. The Cime Caron cable car was not affected by this weekend's opening. The program therefore remains unchanged. Information concerning the opening perimeter (slopes and lifts) will be communicated soon on social networks.
On the other hand, the opening of the Cime Caron cable car is compromised. Asked by The Dauphiné LibéréSetam, which manages the resort's ski lifts, does not wish to react, a legal investigation being opened.
