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CASTELLAMMARE DI STABIA, Italy – April 18, 2025 — Four people, including an Israeli tourist, were killed on Thursday when a cable supporting a cabin on the Monte Faito cable car line in southern Italy suddenly snapped, causing the gondola to plummet nearly 30 meters to the ground.
The accident, which occurred shortly after 3:00 p.m. local time, has left one other person critically injured and has triggered a full-scale investigation by Italian authorities.
The tragic incident unfolded in the coastal town of Castellammare di Stabia, near Naples, when the cable car line—recently reopened for the summer season—malfunctioned during its ascent.
Two cabins, carrying a total of 14 passengers, were in transit when the cable broke. One of the cabins, reportedly carrying five individuals, detached from the line and crashed into a wooded area below.
Among the deceased were an Israeli woman, a British couple, and a local employee of the cable car operator, according to Italian media.
The sole survivor from the fallen cabin, identified as the Israeli woman’s partner, was airlifted to a nearby hospital and remains in critical condition.
Local media reports suggest that the group in the cabin included two couples and a guide, who were likely on a sightseeing tour.
The impact of the fall, estimated at about 28 meters (approximately 92 feet), left little chance for survival for most of the occupants. Emergency services responded swiftly, but four victims were declared dead at the scene.
The accident occurred under challenging weather conditions, with reports of strong winds and dense fog in the area at the time.
The cable car line had only resumed operations a week earlier following its winter closure. A full maintenance inspection was reportedly scheduled but had not yet taken place.
Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, who was in Washington, D.C., meeting with U.S. President Donald Trump at the time of the incident, expressed her condolences and said she was in direct contact with rescue officials.
“I extend my deepest sympathies to the families of the victims. We stand with them in this time of grief,” Meloni stated.
Naples Mayor Gaetano Manfredi also commented on the tragedy, calling it “a terrible loss” and vowing that authorities would ensure accountability. “Our condolences to the families of the victims of the Monte Faito cable car tragedy. We are united in grief, in respect, and in responsibility,” he said.
This latest incident recalls a devastating cable car crash in northern Italy in 2021, when a gondola on the Stresa-Mottarone line plunged into a mountainside near Lake Maggiore, killing 14 people, including five members of an Israeli family.
That tragedy also prompted widespread scrutiny of Italy’s cable transport systems and raised concerns about safety standards.
As the investigation begins, questions are already being asked about why the Monte Faito cable car was allowed to operate before undergoing a scheduled safety inspection.
Authorities are expected to examine mechanical failure, operator error, and weather conditions as potential contributing factors. The cable car line will remain closed indefinitely while the probe continues.