In brief
On April 17, 2025, a devastating cable car accident near Naples resulted in the deaths of at least four individuals, with one more critically injured. The incident occurred when the cable car plunged down a mountainside, breaking apart upon impact in Monte Faito. Emergency services quickly responded, rescuing nine people who were trapped in another cable car stalled lower in the valley.
According to Luca Cari, a national spokesperson for Italy's firefighters, the situation was dire as rescue operations faced challenges from adverse weather conditions. An investigation has been launched by local prosecutors in Torre Annunziata to determine the cause of this tragic event. Four of the victims were tourists, with one being an employee of the cable car company, EAV. The accident has raised concerns as this cable car was vital for tourism in the area, offering picturesque views of the Gulf of Naples and Mount Vesuvius. This disaster echoes past tragedies in Italy, including a 2021 crash that resulted in 14 fatalities and a 1998 incident leading to 20 deaths. Umberto De Gregorio, chairman of EAV, expressed his condolences, calling this accident an "unimaginable and unpredictable tragedy," and noted that the cable car had just reopened for the tourist season. Elisabetta Povoledo, a seasoned journalist in Rome, reports on this tragic incident that has rocked the local community.
